Objective:To investigate the early clinical characteristics of elderly patients with severe burns and the risk factors on prognosis.Methods:This study was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 124 elderly patients with severe burns who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the 12 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, including 4 patients from the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 5 patients from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 22 patients from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 5 patients from Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, 27 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 9 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 10 patients from Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 9 patients from Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, 12 patients from the 924 th Hospital of PLA, 6 patients from Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, 4 patients from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, and 11 patients from Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. The patients' overall clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, inhalation injury, causative factors, whether combined with underlying medical diseases, and admission time after injury were recorded. According to the survival outcome within 28 days after injury, the patients were divided into survival group (89 cases) and death group (35 cases). The following data of patients were compared between the two groups, including the basic data and injuries (the same as the overall clinical characteristics ahead); the coagulation indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen; the blood routine indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as white blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit; the organ function indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, urea, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, electrolyte indexes (potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in blood), uric acid, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide; the infection and blood gas indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, pH value, oxygenation index, base excess, and lactate; treatment such as whether conducted with mechanical ventilation, whether conducted with continuous renal replacement therapy, whether conducted with anticoagulation therapy, whether applied with vasoactive drugs, and fluid resuscitation. The analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns. Results:Among 124 patients, there were 82 males and 42 females, aged 60-97 years, with body mass index of 23.44 (21.09, 25.95) kg/m 2, total burn area of 54.00% (42.00%, 75.00%) total body surface area (TBSA), and full-thickness burn area of 25.00% (10.00%, 40.00%) TBSA. The patients were mainly combined with moderate to severe inhalation injury and caused by flame burns. There were 43 cases with underlying medical diseases. The majority of patients were admitted to the hospital within 8 hours after injury. There were statistically significant differences between patients in the 2 groups in terms of age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and inhalation injury, and PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, INR, white blood cell count, platelet count, urea, serum creatinine, blood glucose, blood sodium, uric acid, myoglobin, and urine volume within the first 24 hours of injury (with Z values of 2.37, 5.49, 5.26, 5.97, 2.18, 1.95, 2.68, 2.68, 2.51, 2.82, 2.14, 3.40, 5.31, 3.41, 2.35, 3.81, 2.16, and -3.82, respectively, P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in whether conducted with mechanical ventilation and whether applied with vasoactive drugs (with χ2 values of 9.44 and 28.50, respectively, P<0.05). Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, serum creatinine within the first 24 hours of injury, and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury were the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns (with odds ratios of 1.17, 1.10, 1.10, 1.09, and 1.27, 95% confidence intervals of 1.03-1.40, 1.04-1.21, 1.05-1.19, 1.05-1.17, and 1.07-1.69, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions:The elderly patients with severe burns had the injuries mainly from flame burns, often accompanied by moderate to severe inhalation injury and enhanced inflammatory response, elevated blood glucose levels, activated fibrinolysis, and impaired organ function in the early stage, which are associated with their prognosis. Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and serum creatinine and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury are the independent risk factors for death within 28 days after injury in this population.

A good social network can ensure the safety of women during pregnancy and reduce the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, there is currently relatively little research on the overall social network of pregnant women, and the influencing factors of the overall social network of pregnant women are not yet clear. This paper reviews the current situation, influencing factors, and measurement tools of the social network in pregnant women, aiming to improve their social network, help them access high-quality nursing resources, ensure the health of pregnant women and infants, and decrease the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for inflammatory complications after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer and construct a nomogram model for risk prediction. Methods The clinical data of 402 patients with primary gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent preoperative Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002) score, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) grading, Lumbar 3 Skeletal Muscle Index (L3-SMI) assessment, and serological index testing. Univariate analysis was used to screen for influencing factors of postoperative inflammatory complications of gastric cancer, and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine independent risk factors. A nomogram model for predicting postoperative inflammatory complications after radical gastrectomy was constructed based on the results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis, and the predictive performance of the model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve. Results Univariate analysis revealed that age, TNM stage, body mass index, preoperative hemoglobin, preoperative albumin, preoperative globulin, NRS2002 score, PG-SGA grade, and L3-SMI were influencing factors of postoperative inflammatory complications in patients undergoing radical gastrectomy (P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≤60 years, preoperative hemoglobin ≤130 g/L(male) or ≤115 g/L(female), TNM staging of Ⅳ stage, NRS2002 score≥3, and L3-SMI ≤52.4 cm²/m²(male) or ≤38.5 cm²/m²(female) were independent risk factors for postoperative inflammatory complications in gastric cancer patients (P < 0.05). A nomogram model was constructed based on age, preoperative hemoglobin, TNM stage, and NRS2002 score. The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of the nomogram model was 0.930, with sensitivity and specificity of 93.2% and 89.2%, respectively. The calibration curve demonstrated good consistency between the predicted probability of inflammatory complications and the actual outcomes. Conclusion Age≤60 years, low preoperative hemoglobin, TNM staging of Ⅳ stage, NRS2002 score ≥3, and low L3-SMI are independent risk factors for postoperative inflammatory complications in gastric cancer patients. The nomogram model constructed based on age, preoperative hemoglobin, TNM stage, and NRS2002 score can accurately predict postoperative inflammatory complications after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.09.017.].

Pulmonary endothelial barrier dysfunction is a hallmark of clinical pulmonary edema and contributes to the development of acute lung injury (ALI). Here we reported that ruscogenin (RUS), an effective steroidal sapogenin of Radix Ophiopogon japonicus, attenuated lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced pulmonary endothelial barrier disruption through mediating non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NMMHC IIA)‒Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) interactions. By in vivo and in vitro experiments, we observed that RUS administration significantly ameliorated LPS-triggered pulmonary endothelial barrier dysfunction and ALI. Moreover, we identified that RUS directly targeted NMMHC IIA on its N-terminal and head domain by serial affinity chromatography, molecular docking, biolayer interferometry, and microscale thermophoresis analyses. Downregulation of endothelial NMMHC IIA expression in vivo and in vitro abolished the protective effect of RUS. It was also observed that NMMHC IIA was dissociated from TLR4 and then activating TLR4 downstream Src/vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) signaling in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells after LPS treatment, which could be restored by RUS. Collectively, these findings provide pharmacological evidence showing that RUS attenuates LPS-induced pulmonary endothelial barrier dysfunction by inhibiting TLR4/Src/VE-cadherin pathway through targeting NMMHC IIA and mediating NMMHC IIA‒TLR4 interactions.

Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases in humans. It is the leading cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer, and also the most important risk factor for gastric cancer. H. pylori lipopolysaccharide has unique chemical structures that are critical to the persistent infection and pathogenesis of H. pylori in human gastric mucosa. Recent studies have elucidated the H. pylori lipid A constitutive modification pathway, redefined the core-oligosaccharide and O-antigen domains, discovered that the heptan commonly present in the lipopolysaccharide structure of European strains is absent in East Asian strains and more importantly, the identification of ADP-heptose (the donor of heptose residues in lipopolysaccharide structure) as the newly discovered pathogen-associated molecular pattern, which is dependent on the type Ⅳ secretion system of H. pylori to induce inflammatory responses in host cells. This paper reviewed the resent research progress in the structure and biological functions of H. pylori lipopolysaccharide.

Objective To establish a SYBR Green real-time PCR detection method with tissue-specific miRNAs and explore a novel approach for forensic body fluid identification. Methods The frequently reported 6 standard miRNAs were synthesized to establish a SYBR Green method, and verify with body fluid. The relative expression data for the 6 miRNAs were obtained using SYBR Green real-time PCR method in peripheral blood, menstrual blood, saliva and semen. Results The assays showed that miRNA205 permitted the unequivocal identification among different fluids. miRNA451 and miRNA144 could be used to distinguish blood from non-blood. Menstrual blood or peripheral blood could be identified through miRNA214. miRNA888 and miRNA891 was highly expressed in semen. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that miRNA SYBR Green profiling may provide a feasible and effective approach to body fluid identification for forensic casework.

Objective: To explore mechanism of lung injury of rats induced by inhalation of white smoke from burning smoke pot. Methods: Forty-eight Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control group (n=12) and injury group (n=36) according to the random number table. Rats in injury group were placed in smoke-induced injury experimental equipment fulled with white smoke from burning smoke pot for 5 minutes to make lung injury, and rats in control group were placed in smoke-induced injury experimental equipment fulled with air for 5 minutes to make sham injury. Six rats in injury group at post injury hour (PIH) 6, 24, and 72 and six rats in control group at PIH 72 were collected to observe pathological changes of lung tissue and pathological score of rats in the two groups by hematoxylin-eosin staining, to detect expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 mRNA in lung tissue of rats by reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction, and to detect content of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 in lung tissue of rats by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance and t test. Results: At PIH 72, lung tissue structure of rats in control group was clear and complete, with no inflammatory cell infiltration. At PIH 6, there was edema, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue of rats in injury group. At PIH 24, edema, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue of rats in injury group aggravated. At PIH 72, area of edema in lung tissue of rats in injury group was enlarged, with obvious hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration. At PIH 6, 24, and 72, pathological score of lung tissue of rats in injury group was (3.43±0.86), (5.39±0.93), and (9.99±0.84) points, respectively, obviously higher than that of rats in control group at PIH 72 [(2.11±0.20) points, t=3.659, 8.450, 22.355, P<0.05]. As time post injury prolonged, pathological scores of lung tissue of rats in injury group were significantly increased (F=121.244, P<0.01). At PIH 6, 24, and 72, expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA in lung tissue of rats in injury group was 15.5±4.3, 25.9±1.8, 30.9±3.5 respectively, significantly higher than that of rats in control group at PIH 72 (7.8±0.8, t=4.315, 20.445, 14.408, P<0.01). As time post injury prolonged, expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA in lung tissue of rats in injury group gradually increased (F=32.691, P<0.01). At PIH 6, 24, and 72, content of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in lung tissue of rats in injury group was significantly higher than that of rats in control group at PIH 72, respectively (t=7.650, 8.968, 6.827, 6.726, 8.978, 3.460, 5.420, 13.289, 16.438, P<0.01). At PIH 24, content of TNF-α and IL-1β in lung tissue of rats in injury group was higher than that of rats in the same group at PIH 6 and 72, respectively (t=3.409, -2.549, 4.047, -4.100, P<0.05). At PIH 24 and 72, content of IL-6 in lung tissue of rats in injury group was respectively higher than that of rats in the same group at PIH 6 (t=8.273, 9.711, P<0.05). Conclusions After inhaling white smoke from burning smoke pot, rats are inflicted with lung injury by increasing expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA and content of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and induce pathological changes of edema, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cell infiltration of lung tissue.

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect and safety of long-acting pegylated interferon-α-2b (Peg-IFN-α-2b) (Y shape, 40 kD) injection (180 μg/week) in the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, with standard-dose Peg-IFN-α-2a as positive control. Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, and positive-controlled phase III clinical trial. Eligible HBeAg-positive CHB patients were screened out and randomized to Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) trial group and Peg-IFN-α-2a control group at a ratio of 2:1. The course of treatment was 48 weeks and the patients were followed up for 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Plasma samples were collected at screening, baseline, and 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 weeks for centralized detection. COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® TaqMan® HBV Test was used to measure HBV DNA level by quantitative real-time PCR. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay with Elecsys kit was used to measure HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe). Adverse events were recorded in detail. The primary outcome measure was HBeAg seroconversion rate after the 24-week follow-up, and non-inferiority was also tested. The difference in HBeAg seroconversion rate after treatment between the trial group and the control group and two-sided confidence interval (CI) were calculated, and non-inferiority was demonstrated if the lower limit of 95% CI was > -10%. The t-test, chi-square test, or rank sum test was used according to the types and features of data. Results: A total of 855 HBeAg-positive CHB patients were enrolled and 820 of them received treatment (538 in the trial group and 282 in the control group). The data of the full analysis set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 27.32% in the trial group and 22.70% in the control group with a rate difference of 4.63% (95% CI -1.54% to 10.80%, P = 0.1493). The data of the per-protocol set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 30.75% in the trial group and 27.14% in the control group with a rate difference of 3.61% (95% CI -3.87% to 11.09%, P = 0.3436). 95% CI met the non-inferiority criteria, and the trial group was non-inferior to the control group. The two groups had similar incidence rates of adverse events, serious adverse events, and common adverse events. Conclusion In Peg-IFN-α regimen for HBeAg-positive CHB patients, the new drug Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) has comparable effect and safety to the control drug Peg-IFN-α-2a.

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for the formulation of correct antifungal treatment strategy,and to promote stan-dard use of antifungal agent. METHODS:A retrospective survey was conducted for 138 haematologic patients from May 2013 to May 2014 in a third grade class A hospital,of whom all had used antifungal drugs during hospitalization. We collected all patients' information and analyzed it statistically. RESULTS:Of 138 haematologic patients,3 were proven IFD (all were Candida infec-tion),6 were probable IFD,12 were possible IFD,and 117 were undefined IFD. The positive rates of fungi pathogenic detection, fungal smear,G-test,and GM-test were 15.3%,9.4%,6.4% and 23.4% respectively. 6 kinds of antifungal were used,and vori-conazole had the highest frequency,followed by fluconazole,itraconazole,amphotericin B,caspofungin and micafungin. 62.3%patients used only one kind of antifungal,but 15.9% patients used 2 or more kinds of antifungal. The average medication course was 20.5 days(1 day to 125 days). Irrational drug use showed improper drug selection,unreasonable dose,and replacing antifun-gal with insufficient basis. CONCLUSIONS:The antifungal use in haematologic patients in the hospital is consistent with the re-quirements of guidelines,but there are still some issues as insufficient antifurgal drug treatment course to be further standardized.