The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) have recently updated and published the 2024 ESC guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. Based on the latest evidences, the guidelines have been updated in many aspects, such as diagnostic criteria for atrial fibrillation, AF-CARE treatment principles, comorbidities and risk factor management. In particular, there are significant changes in the recommendations for surgical management of atrial fibrillation in the guidelines. Therefore, this paper aims to interpret the content updates of the guidelines in AF-CARE treatment principles, diagnostic criteria and surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation, especially highlighting the updates and new suggestions about surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Objective: To investigate the knowledge of hepatitis C prevention and treatment and related factors among two groups of female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Xizang Autonomous Region (Xizang) to provide a basis for the subsequent development of Hepatitis C publicity and education strategies. Methods: From August to September 2021, a special survey was conducted among 1 244 FSW and 234 MSM in 5 districts (counties) of 4 regions in Xizang. A one-on-one face-to-face questionnaire survey was adopted, and the χ² test and logistic regression were used to analyze the related factors of awareness of hepatitis C prevention and treatment among FSW and MSM. Results: The awareness rates of hepatitis C prevention and treatment knowledge among FSW and MSM were 35.0% (436/1 244) and 11.1% (26/234), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the positive related factors of FSW' awareness of hepatitis C prevention and treatment knowledge among those who had high school or technical secondary school education (aOR=4.72, 95%CI: 3.30-6.74) and college education or above (aOR=2.24, 95%CI: 1.58-3.18), those who experienced self-perceived risk of HCV infection (aOR=1.87, 95%CI: 1.43-2.45), negative related factors included married or cohabiting (aOR=0.58, 95%CI: 0.35-0.95), divorce or windowless (aOR=0.44, 95%CI: 0.27-0.72), no condom was used in the most recent commercial sexual activity (aOR=0.54, 95%CI: 0.43-0.69). The positive related factors of MSM's awareness of hepatitis C prevention and treatment knowledge were over 40 years old (aOR=8.65, 95%CI: 3.19-23.42) and having a self-perceived risk of HCV infection (aOR=6.25, 95%CI: 2.50-15.61). Conclusions: The awareness rate of hepatitis C prevention and treatment among FSW and MSM was relatively low in Xizang in 2021 and urgently needs to be improved. It is necessary to formulate targeted publicity strategies based on the characteristics of these two groups of people, increase publicity efforts, and expand the coverage of knowledge publicity to popularize key points about the clinical manifestations, treatment options, and transmission routes of hepatitis C, and carry out necessary warnings and education.
Humans ; Male ; Hepatitis C/therapy* ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sex Workers/psychology* ; Homosexuality, Male ; Female ; Adult ; China ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; Logistic Models

Humans ; Sarcoma ; Transcription Factors ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion

Objective: To clarify the values of autotaxin (ATX) in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and PBC-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: 179 patients with PBC were selected from prospective cohorts of autoimmune liver diseases at the time of first diagnosis of PBC in Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, from January 2016 to January 2018, all patients with PBC received UDCA therapy, primary endpoint was event of HCC, the follow-up period was censored at the date of HCC. The relationship between level of ATX and clinical features in patients with PBC and its potential value in predicting disease progression and PBC-related HCC were analyzed. Results: The ATX level in the peripheral blood of patients with PBC was significantly higher than that of alcoholic liver cirrhosis(ALC) (t = 3.278, P = 0.001) and healthy controls(HC) (t = 6.594, P < 0.001), however, when comparing PBC to non-PBC related HCC, no significant difference was found between the groups(t=-0.240, P = 0.811). Consistent with peripheral blood levels, histochemical staining indicated that ATX in the liver of patients with PBC was significantly higher than that of HC (Z=-3.633, P < 0.001) and ALC (Z=-3.283, P < 0.001), and the expression of ATX in PBC with advanced histological stage was significantly higher than PBC with early stage (Z=-2.018, P = 0.034). The baseline ATX level in PBC patients without developing to HCC during follow-up had significant difference to patients with developing to HCC (228.451 ± 124.093 ng/ml vs 301.583 ± 100.512 ng/ml, t = 2.339, P = 0.021). The result in multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ATX were independent predictors of PBC related HCC(OR 1.245, 95%CI 1.097-1.413). The optimal critical value of peripheral blood ATX level at baseline for predicting HCC was 235.254 ng/ml, with the cut-off value of 0.714 in AUC of the ROC (95% CI was 0.597~ 0.857), sensitivity and specificity were 84.6% and 59.0%, respectively. Conclusion: ATX level was significantly higher in PBC patients over controls, and it's concentration was correlated with UDCA efficacy and fibrosis stage. ATX has potential values in predicting disease progression and PBC-related HCC.

Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Mucolipidoses ; Placenta

Humans ; Liver/pathology* ; Atrophy/pathology*

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of China Savin pollen extract which was used for skin prick test (SPT) in the diagnosis of China Savin pollen allergy. Patients with diagnosis of allergic diseases were collected from Allergy Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. All patients were given SPT with China Savin pollen extract, and the mean wheal diameter (MWD) was measured after 15 minutes. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed based on the results of serum specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE). The effectiveness of SPT in the diagnosis of China Savin pollen allergy was evaluated under different diagnostic cutoff values. Adverse events were also recorded to evaluate the safety. A total of 1 029 patients were enrolled in this study without drop out case. There were 1 007 patients in full analysis set (FAS) and 765 patients in per protocol analysis set (PPS). The elimination rate was 25.66%. The area under the ROC curve of FAS is 0.814 (95%: 0.788-0.839); which of PPS is 0.829 (95%: 0.801-0.857). Based on the ROC curve of PPS, the optimal and the 95% specificity diagnostic cutoff values of MWD were 3.25 mm and 4.75 mm respectively. Based on different diagnostic cutoff value (3.00, 3.25 and 4.75 mm), the sensitivities of SPT with China Savin pollen extract were 0.740 0 (95%: 0.701 6-0.778 4), 0.700 (95%: 0.659 8-0.740 2) and 0.532 (95%: 0.488 3-0.575 7) respectively, whereas the specificity was gradually increased in sequence, which was 0.769 8 (95%: 0.719 1-0.820 5), 0.826 4 (95%: 0.780 8-0.872 0) and 0.950 9 (95%: 0.924 9-0.976 9) respectively. There were 7 adverse events observed among 6 patients (rate: 0.583%, 6/1 029). The manifestation was mild. There was no severe adverse event. SPT with China Savin pollen extract is an effective and safe tool for the diagnosis of China Savin pollen allergy. The effectiveness of diagnosis could be improved based on integration of medical history and different diagnostic threshold values of SPT.
Allergens ; adverse effects ; China ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Pollen ; adverse effects ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; diagnosis ; Skin Tests

OBJECTIVES: To establish multiplex system of 16 miniSTR loci, and explore its application value for the degraded materials in forensic medicine. METHODS: The multiplex system of 16 miniSTR loci was established using a six-dye fluorescence labeling technology and its application value in forensic medicine was assessed. RESULTS: A six-dye fluorescence labeling miniSTR amplification kit was developed, which enabled 15 autosomal STR loci, Amelogenin locus and DYS391 to be typed simultaneously. This method showed good specificity and could provide stable and accurate typing results with a sensitivity of 50 pg. This system also provided a good test result for the normal biological sample of actual cases. CONCLUSIONS The multiplex system of 16 miniSTR loci has application value for degraded and trace materials with the advantages of high sensitivity and database compatibility, which can be used for forensic casework.
Amelogenin ; DNA Fingerprinting ; DNA Primers ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Microsatellite Repeats/genetics* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases caused by Coxsackie virus A16 (Cox A16) in Guangdong province from 2012 to 2016. Methods: The data of mild HFMD cases caused by Cox A16 were collected from 8 sentinel hospitals in 8 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong to estimate Cox A16 infection status and its population and time distribution characteristics. Results: (1) The highest estimated incidence of Cox A16 infection was in 2014 (113.0/100 000), followed by 2016 (86.4/100 000) and 2012 (79.1/100 000), while the estimated incidence was lower in 2015 (29.0/100 000) and 2013 (28.8/100 000). (2) Cox A16 was confirmed to be the predominant pathogen causing HFMD outbreaks (54.6%, 89/163). The number of outbreaks in the year with high incidence (28 outbreaks) was 11.2 times higher than that in the year with low incidence (2.5 outbreaks). (3) Across all age groups, the annual estimated incidence of Cox A16 infection decreased with age (trend χ(2)=853 905.63, P<0.01). The incidence was highest in age group 1 year (1 449.2/100 000), followed by that in age group 3 years (1 097.0/100 000), in age group 2 years (1 083.5/100 000), in age group 4 years (687.8/100 000) and in age group 0 year (604.9/100 000). Among the age groups <12 months, the estimated incidence increased with age (trend χ(2)=5 541.77, P<0.01), which was highest in age group 11-months (2 105.1/100 000), followed by that in age groups 10-months (1 448.6/100 000), 9-months (938.3/100 000), 8-months (703.3/100 000) and 6-months (664.6/100 000). (4) The annual incidence peak was during May (143.9/100 000)-June (131.5/100 000). Conclusion: The prevalence of Cox A16 infection differed with year in Guangdong during 2012-2016. When the incidence of Cox A16 infection was high, more outbreaks occurred. The prevalence occurred mainly in nurseries and kindergartens from May to June each year. Children aged 0-4 years were the high risk group for Cox A16 infection, children aged 6-11 months were at high risk for Cox A16 infection.
Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China/epidemiology* ; Cities ; Coxsackievirus Infections/epidemiology* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Enterovirus A, Human/isolation & purification* ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease/epidemiology* ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Schools

Objective: On whole-genome scale, we tried to explore the correlation between obesity-related traits and DNA methylation sites, based on discordant monozygotic twin pairs. Methods: A total of 90 pairs of 6-17 year-old twins were recruited in Chaoyang district, Yanqing district and Fangshan district in Beijing in 2016. Information on twins was gathered through a self-designed questionnaire and results: from physical examination, including height, weight and waist circumference of the subjects under study. DNA methylation detection was chosen on the Illumina Human Methylation EPIC BeadChip. R 3.3.1 language was used to read the DNA methylation signal under quality control on samples and probes. Ebayes function of empirical Bayes paired moderated t-test was used to identify the differential methylated CpG sites (DMCs). VarFit function of empirical Bayes paired moderated Levene test was used to identify the differentially variables CpG sits (DVCs) in obese and normal groups. Results According to the obesity discordance criteria, we collected 23 pairs of twins (age range 7 to 16 years), including 12 male pairs. A total of 817 471 qualified CpG loci were included in the genome-wide correlation analysis. According to the significance level of FDR set as <0.05, no positive sites would meet this standard. When DMC CpG site cg05684382, with the smallest P value (1.26E-06) as on chromosome 12, the DVC CpG site cg26188191 with the smallest P value (6.44E-06) appeared in CMIP gene on chromosome 16. Conclusions: In this study, we analyzed the genome-wide DNA methylation and its correlation with obesity traits. After multiple testing corrections, no positive sites were found to have associated with obesity. However, results from the correlation analysis demonstrated sites cg05684382 (chr: 12) and cg26188191 (chr: 16) might have played a role in the development of obesity. This study provides a methodologic reference for the studies on discordance twins related problems.
Adolescent ; Bayes Theorem ; Beijing ; Body Weight ; Child ; DNA Methylation/genetics* ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Female ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity/genetics* ; Twins, Monozygotic ; Waist Circumference