Objective To analyze the correlation between inflammation,nutritional indicators and hy-poproteinemia in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD).Meth-ods The clinical data of patients with AECOPD admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from January 2020 to September 2022 were ret-rospectively analyzed,and the patients were divided into the hypoproteinemia group(n=73)and the non-hy-poproteinemia group(n=141)according to whether the serum albumin(ALB)was lower than 35 g/L.The clinical data,inflammatory indicators and nutritional indicators of the two groups were compared,Spearman correlation analysis was performed,and binary logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the influ-encing factors of patients with AECOPD complicated with hypoproteinemia.Results There were statistically significant differences in age,length of hospital stay,and body weight between the two groups(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in gender,number of hospitalizations in the past 1 year,height,diabetes,hypertension and proportion of coronary heart disease(P＞0.05).Compared with the non-hypoproteinemia group,the hypoproteinemia group had longer hospital stays and higher levels of C-reactive protein,neutrophil/albumin ratio(NAR),neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR),platelet-lymphocyte ratio(PLR),and systemic immunoinflammatory index(SII).The prognostic nutritional index(PNI),body mass index(BMI),hemoglo-bin and total protein levels were lower,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Body weight,BMI,hemoglobin,total protein,PNI and AECOPD patients with hypoproteinemia were negatively cor-related(P＜0.05),while age,length of hospital stay,C-reactive protein,NAR,NLR,PLR,SII and AECOPD patients with hypoproteinemia were positively correlated(P＜0.05).Binary logistic regression analysis showed that PNI,SII and NLR were the influencing factors of hypoproteinemia in AECOPD patients.Conclusion In clinical practice,attention should be paid to and timely correction of hypoproteinemia in pa-tients with AECOPD,improvement of inflammatory indicators and nutritional status of patients,and preven-tion of acute exacerbation.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with end-stage heart failure who receive heart transplant under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.Methods:The clinical data of 12 pediatric patients who received heart transplant with ECMO support in the Seventh Medical Center of Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital and Guangdong Provincial People′s Hospital, from January 2019 to December 2023 was collected. The data included sex, age, weight, diagnosis, pre-ECMO lactate level, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS), and preoperative ECMO running time. Surgical data included cold ischemia time of the donor heart, cardiopulmonary bypass time, intraoperative use of immunosuppressant, postoperative use of ECMO, duration of postoperative ECMO, rate of successful weaning from ECMO, and survival discharge rate. The paired t-test was performed to compare cardiac function indices before and after left ventricular decompression. Results:The 12 patients ranged in age from 1.1 to 15.8 years, and weighted from 8 to 63 kg. Ten children were diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, one with myocardial underdensification, and one with a novel heterozygous mutation of the SCN5A gene causing overlap syndrome complicated by fatal arrhythmia. Before ECMO, the lactate ranged from 0.6 to>15.0 mmol/L, the LVEF from 6.5% to 43%, and VIS from 3 to 108. Four patients underwent left ventricular decompression supported by preoperative ECMO, and their pulse pressure was significantly increased after decompression ((17.8±2.1) vs. (9.8±1.5) mmHg, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa, t=11.31, P=0.001), while there was no apparent change in LVEF ((26.8±4.4)% vs. (24.9±4.9)%, t=1.75, P=0.178). A total of 7 children received a second run of ECMO after surgery and 3 of them successfully weaned off ECMO and survived to discharge. In the entire cohort, 10 were successfully weaned from ECMO and 8 survived to discharge. Conclusions:For children with end-stage heart failure supported by ECMO, left ventricular decompression can significantly improve pulse pressure. These patients will eventually require heart transplantation.

Objective To explore the correlations of lumbar bone mineral density(BMD)and metabolic syndrome(MS)in adult males.Methods Data of low dose chest CT and quantitative CT of 13 490 adult males were retrospectively analyzed,and lumbar BMD were measured to judge whether MS existed and the degree of MS,and the correlations of lumbar BMD with MS or not and the degree of MS,as well as of lumbar BMD value and the related indicators of MS were assessed.Taken lumbar BMD as the dependent variable,the age,low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),blood uric acid(BUA),hemoglobin(Hb)and MS or not were included in multiple linear regression analysis to observe the impact of MS and related indicators on lumbar BMD.Results Among 13 490 adult males,3 900 were found with MS(MS group),while 9 590 were found without MS(non-MS group).Significant difference of lumbar BMD was detected between groups(P=0.001).Lumbar BMD values were negatively correlated with MS(rs=-0.025,P=0.004)and the degree of MS(rs=-0.038,P＜0.001),whereas positively correlated with abdominal obesity,high triglyceride and low HDL-C or not(rs=0.024,0.061,0.036,all P＜0.001)but negatively correlated with hypertension and hyperglycemia or not(rs=-0.135,-0.104,both P＜0.05).After adjustment of age,lumbar BMD of adult males was negatively correlated with MS or not as well as LDL-C(both P＜0.05),but positively correlated with BUA and Hb(both P＜0.001).Conclusion Lumbar BMD was associated with MS in adult males.

Objective:To examined the role of copper starvation in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC),along with the molecular functions and mechanisms of SLC31A1 in these cells.Methods:Initially,SLC31A1 was silenced to induce a copper starvation environment.Sub-sequently,we evaluated the effects of copper starvation on oral squamous cell carcinoma cells using the CCK-8 assay,cell scratch assay,and subcutaneous tumor formation in nude mice.In addition,changes in autophagy and EZH2 expression levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells were detected after SLC31A1 silencing.Lactate dehydrogenase activity was assayed to determine its impact on natural killer(NK)cell cytotoxicity after SLC31A1 silencing.Results:Silencing of SLC31A1 significantly inhibited the proliferation,migration,and subcutaneous tu-mor formation ability of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.Furthermore,silencing SLC31A1 mediated EZH2 degradation and increased NK cell infiltration.Conclusions:Copper starvation can regulate the proliferation,migration,and subcutaneous tumor formation ability of oral squamous cell carcinoma and increase NK cell infiltration by modulating EZH2 expression.

The paper reported a patient under maintained hemodialysis for 11 years, with a large mass appeared in the right thigh after local injury. The mass was clinically considered as tumoral calcinosis combined with clinical, imaging and pathological findings. Several treatments such as enhancing dialysis adequacy, low calcium dialysate, calcimimetic agent, non-calcium- phosphorus binding agents, parathyroidectomy and intravenous infusion of sodium thiosulfate could not vanish the mass. Finally, the lump was surgically removed. The treatment of tumoral calcinosis in the hemodialysis patient can provide a instruction for similar situations in clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate the effects of personalized intermittent energy restriction (IER) diet on sleep related gut microbiome in obese patients.Methods:In this single-arm clinical trial, a total of 35 obese patients who visited Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from April to November 2018 were recruited as research subjects. They underwent a strict 32-day IER diet intervention, divided into 4 stages of 8 days each. Nutritional recipes were formulated and nutritious meals were provided to each obese patient with timed meals, including 55% carbohydrates, 15% protein, and 30% fat per meal. In stages 1, 2, 3, and 4, patients were provided with 2/3, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 of their previous calorie intake every other day, respectively, with meals at 8:00 and 16:00. During the remaining time, patients were allowed unrestricted eating at home. Physiological indicators (weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were observed before and after the intervention. Gut microbiota changes were analyzed using metagenomic sequencing technology, and Spearman′s correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between significantly different bacterial species and PSQI scores.Results:After the intervention, the body weight, body mass index, and PSQI scores of obese patients were all significantly lower than before intervention [(89.92±14.98) vs (97.53±15.67) kg, (31.94±3.95) vs (34.64±4.05) kg/m 2, (3.43±1.16) vs (5.42±2.27)], the abundance of gut microbiota was significantly higher after the intervention (all P<0.05). There were 45 significantly different bacterial species before and after the intervention, of which 6 bacterial species ( Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Odoribacter splanchnicus, Oribacterium sinus, Streptococcus gordonii, and Streptococcus parasanguinis) showed significantly positive correlations with PSQI scores ( r=0.476, 0.475, 0.369, 0.391, 0.401, 0.423) (all P<0.05), and they were mainly enriched in the glutamate and tryptophan synthesis pathways. Conclusions:The personalized IER diet intervention can improve the sleep of obese patients while reducing weight, possibly mediated by changes in gut microbiota through the glutamate and tryptophan pathways.

Objective:To explore the relationship between constitutional types of Chinese medicine and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to construct an early warning model for AD risk.Methods:In the established multimodal interventions to delay dementia and disability in rural China (MIND-China) study, 4 033 elderly subjects aged ≥60 years old were included. The data including demographic, underlying disease and neuropsychological data were collected.The Chinese medicine service record form for the elderly was used to assess constitutional types of Chinese medicine and to apply the NIA-AA diagnostic criteria published by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association in 2011 for the diagnosis of clinically likely AD. Logistic regression analysis and AD risk prediction models were constructed using R statistical software, and the final prediction results were presented using columnar plots.Results:The MIND-China cohort was dominated by the abnormal constitution (69.28%), of which Phlegm-wetness type was the most common (58.05%), followed by Yang-deficiency type (23.85%). The most constitutional type of Chinese medicine among AD patients was Phlegm-wetness type (54.35%), followed by Qi-depression type (38.04%). Multi-factorial logistic regression analysis suggested that increasing age ( β=0.101, P<0.001, OR=1.107, 95% CI=1.069-1.146) and Qi-depression type ( β=0.622, P=0.016, OR=1.862, 95% CI=1.116-3.076) were able to increase the risk of developing AD, while education ( β=-1.047, P<0.001, OR=0.351, 95% CI=0.205-0.584) was able to reduce the risk of developing AD. By using the risk score model to calculate the total risk score for each subject and plotting the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), the area under the ROC was 0.769 and the calibration curve showed excellent consistency between prediction and reality. Conclusion:Older adults with Qi-depression type are significantly associated with an increased likelihood of AD.

Objective To explore the value and method of using carbon nanoparticles in endoscopic treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.Method 74 cases were randomly divided into two groups,34 cases in experimental group which were injected with carbon nanoparticles,and 40 cases in the control group without any injection.All cases were analyzed in terms of the tumor size,the number of lymph nodes and parathyroid gland injury.Results All patients underwent the operation smoothly.The postoperative pathological specimens result showed there was no statistical difference of carcinoma size between the two groups.The number of lymph nodes dissected was 177 in the control group and 220 in the experimental group (the rate of lymph node black staining rate was 89％).In the experimental group,the average number of lymph node detected in each patient was 6.47±2.13,more than 4.42±1.91 in the control group.The number of parathyroid glands found in the experimental group was 3 and 11 in the control group,and the difference had no statistical significance.Postoperative temporary laryngeal recurrent nerve injury occurred to 2 cases in each group,and no statistical difference was found.Conclusion Using carbon nanoparticles in endoscopic treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma can increase the detection rate of lymph node,and to some extent,reduce the parathyroid injury.It has a certain clinical significance,However,care should be taken to avoid contamination of the mirror field of view.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the surgery prognosis of the papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients who underwent conventional and endoscopic thyroidectomies via areola. Methods: From January 2012 to December 2017, 887 patients with PTC underwent thyroidectomy. The A group of 693 patients underwent traditional thyroidectomy, and B group of 194 patients underwent endoscopic thyroidectomy. Clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical methods, pathological features and complications were analyzed and compared between two groups. Results: The mean age of A group was older than B group: (45.2 ± 11.5) years vs. (34.9 ± 9.4) years, P<0.01. The drainamount and drain maintenance in B group were significantly higher than those in A group (P<0.01). The operative methods in two group had significant difference (P<0.01). The patients in B group were successful in operation and no one transferred to open operation. The tumor size in the A group was larger than that in B group, and more bilateral multifocal tumors were in A group (P<0.01). The number of lymph nodes dissection in A group was more than that in B group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the postoperative complications (P > 0.05). Conclusions The results show that patients with PTC who underwent conventional and endoscopic thyroidectomies via areola have similar surgical prognosis.Therefore, choosing the appropriate cases for endoscopic thyroidectomy via breast areola approach may be regarded as an alternative surgical technique to conventional thyroidectomy which has the oncological safety and cosmetic results.

OBJECTIVETo delineate the clinical features and potential mutation of the ATP7A gene in a family affected with Menkes disease.

METHODSClinical data of a patient and his family members were analyzed. Sanger sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) assays were performed to detect the mutation of the ATP7A gene.

RESULTSThe patient was admitted at the age of 5 months due to severe epilepsy and marked delayed psychomotor development. Significantly light complexion, pudgy cheeks and sparse fuzzy wooly hair were noted. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging and angiography revealed cortical atrophy, leukoencephalopathy and circuitous of intracranial vessels. The plasma ceruloplasmin was decreased. MLPA has identified a deletion spanning exons 8 to 12 of the ATP7A gene. His mother was found to be a heterozygous carrier of the same mutation.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical features and a novel mutation of the ATP7A gene of the family have been delineated.

Adenosine Triphosphatases ; genetics ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; China ; Copper-transporting ATPases ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Menkes Kinky Hair Syndrome ; genetics ; Mutation ; Pedigree