Objective:To investigate the characteristics of primary catheter malposition (PCM) following totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) implantation via the internal jugular vein (IJV) and management strategies.Methods:Clinical data of 587 consecutive breast cancer patients undergoing TIVAP implantation via the IJV performed by single team at the Department of Breast Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from Aug 2017 to Aug 2022 was retrospectively analyzed.Results:A total of 593 TIVAP were implanted and PCM was found in 18 cases (3.0%). Four hundred and twenty five TIVAP were implanted via the right IJV with one PCM case (0.2%). One hundred and sixty eight TIVAP implantations were performed via the left IJV and PCM occurred in 17 cases (10.1%). The interventional management with a pigtail catheter was performed as a first-line strategy in 11 of the 18 PCM cases, with a success in 10 cases and failure in one. Three cases were successfully managed with the digital subtraction angiography (DSA)-guided open approach. Four cases underwent blind open procedure firstly and 2 suffered a failure.Conclusions:A higher incidence of PCM is found in TIVAP implantations via the left IJV than the right one. The interventional management with a pigtail catheter or the DSA-guided open procedure proves to be feasible for the correction of PCM.

Objective:To investigate preliminary results of chest wall reconstruction with local kiss flap following mastectomy for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).Methods:Clinical data of the LABC patients receiving treatment at the Department of Breast Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between June 2020 and July 2021 was retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent modified radical mastectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. And the local kiss flap was used for reconstruction of the secondary chest wall soft tissue defects. Two small local flaps were designed intraoperatively and harvested from inferior (flap A) and lateral (flap B) to the defect, respectively, resurfacing a large chest wall soft tissue defect side by side with primary closure of both two donor sites. The flap perfusion was routinely monitored postoperatively. Adjuvant systemic therapies were implemented based on both pre- and post-operative pathological results. And the adjuvant radiotherapy was started immediately after wound healed completely. All cases were followed up regularly.Results:A total of five female patients were included, with an average age of 53.4 (ranging from 41 to 71). Stage Ⅲ (T 3-4N 2-3M 0) breast cancer was diagnosed in all cases. After mastectomy, chest wall soft tissue defect was presented in all cases, ranging from 12.0 cm × 12.0 cm to 22.0 cm × 20.0 cm. The flap A measured from 7.0 cm × 7.0 cm to 14.0 cm × 13.0 cm and the flap B from 5.0 cm × 4.0 cm to 11.0 cm × 7.0 cm. Only 1 flap A suffered tip necrosis and the remnant flaps survived totally. All donor sites recovered uneventfully and no donor-site morbidity was noted. The mean post-operative follow-up period was 15.8 months (ranging from 13 to 20 months). No tumor recurrence or metastasis was noted in all patients, except one patient, who did not receive radiotherapy, suffered local recurrence 4 months after surgery. Conclusion:Given its simplicity and satisfying results, the local kiss flap is a feasible and reliable reconstructive option for chest wall soft tissue defect reconstruction after mastectomy in selected LABC patients.

Objective:To investigate preliminary results of chest wall reconstruction with local kiss flap following mastectomy for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).Methods:Clinical data of the LABC patients receiving treatment at the Department of Breast Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between June 2020 and July 2021 was retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent modified radical mastectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. And the local kiss flap was used for reconstruction of the secondary chest wall soft tissue defects. Two small local flaps were designed intraoperatively and harvested from inferior (flap A) and lateral (flap B) to the defect, respectively, resurfacing a large chest wall soft tissue defect side by side with primary closure of both two donor sites. The flap perfusion was routinely monitored postoperatively. Adjuvant systemic therapies were implemented based on both pre- and post-operative pathological results. And the adjuvant radiotherapy was started immediately after wound healed completely. All cases were followed up regularly.Results:A total of five female patients were included, with an average age of 53.4 (ranging from 41 to 71). Stage Ⅲ (T 3-4N 2-3M 0) breast cancer was diagnosed in all cases. After mastectomy, chest wall soft tissue defect was presented in all cases, ranging from 12.0 cm × 12.0 cm to 22.0 cm × 20.0 cm. The flap A measured from 7.0 cm × 7.0 cm to 14.0 cm × 13.0 cm and the flap B from 5.0 cm × 4.0 cm to 11.0 cm × 7.0 cm. Only 1 flap A suffered tip necrosis and the remnant flaps survived totally. All donor sites recovered uneventfully and no donor-site morbidity was noted. The mean post-operative follow-up period was 15.8 months (ranging from 13 to 20 months). No tumor recurrence or metastasis was noted in all patients, except one patient, who did not receive radiotherapy, suffered local recurrence 4 months after surgery. Conclusion:Given its simplicity and satisfying results, the local kiss flap is a feasible and reliable reconstructive option for chest wall soft tissue defect reconstruction after mastectomy in selected LABC patients.

Disturbance of macrophage-associated lipid metabolism plays a key role in atherosclerosis. Crosstalk between autophagy deficiency and inflammation response in foam cells (FCs) through epigenetic regulation is still poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that in macrophages, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) leads to abnormal crosstalk between autophagy and inflammation, thereby causing aberrant lipid metabolism mediated through a dysfunctional transcription factor EB (TFEB)-P300-bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) axis. ox-LDL led to macrophage autophagy deficiency along with TFEB cytoplasmic accumulation and increased reactive oxygen species generation. This activated P300 promoted BRD4 binding on the promoter regions of inflammatory genes, consequently contributing to inflammation with atherogenesis. Particularly, ox-LDL activated BRD4-dependent super-enhancer associated with liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) on the regulatory regions of inflammatory genes. Curcumin (Cur) prominently restored FCs autophagy by promoting TFEB nuclear translocation, optimizing lipid catabolism, and reducing inflammation. The consequences of P300 and BRD4 on super-enhancer formation and inflammatory response in FCs could be prevented by Cur. Furthermore, the anti-atherogenesis effect of Cur was inhibited by macrophage-specific Brd4 overexpression or Tfeb knock-out in Apoe knock-out mice via bone marrow transplantation. The findings identify a novel TFEB-P300-BRD4 axis and establish a new epigenetic paradigm by which Cur regulates autophagy, inhibits inflammation, and decreases lipid content.

Objective:To explore the effect of rapamycin on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium iodide (MPP+ )-induced activation of Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in microglia.Methods:The BV2 microglia cells were divided into control group, model group and rapamycin group.The model group and rapamycin group were treated by MPP+ to activate NLRP3 inflammasome, and rapamycin group was pretreated with rapamycin.Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA levels of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and caspase-1.Immunofluorescence was used to detect the protein expression of NLRP3 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Western blot was carried out to assess the protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, beclin1 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3).Results:The mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 in model group were higher than those in control group ( t=4.825, 3.015, 5.853, all P<0.05). The mRNA levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in rapamycin group were lower than those in model group ( t=2.75, 2.89, both P<0.05). In model group, the protein expressions of NLRP3 (1.54±0.22), ASC (1.02±0.13) and caspase-1 (1.42±0.30) were higher than NLRP3 (0.66±0.15), ASC (0.41±0.14) and caspase-1 (0.70±0.10) in control group ( t=5.653, 5.602, 3.964, all P<0.01), while the protein expression of beclin1 (0.28±0.09) and LC3II/LC3I ratio(0.69±0.14) were lower than beclin1 (0.60±0.11) and LC3II/LC3I (1.29±0.23) in control group ( t=4.010, 3.982, both P<0.01). The protein expressions of NLRP3 (0.80±0.18) and ASC (0.68±0.14) in rapamycin group were lower than those in model group ( t=4.413, 3.077, both P<0.05), while the protein expression of beclin1 (0.65±0.20) and LC3II/LC3I ratio(1.42±0.36) were higher than those in model group ( t=2.965, 3.278, both P<0.05). Conclusion:MPP+ activates NLRP3 inflammasome and impairs autophagic function in microglia.Rapamycin inhibits MPP+ -induced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by restoring autophagic impairment in microglia.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of tutorial system for medical undergraduates in a non-affiliated hospital of a medical university in Jiangsu.Methods:32 senior medical undergraduates in non-affiliated hospitals were divided into two groups. The experimental group adopted tutor-guided teaching, and the control group adopted traditional teaching. Professional theoretical knowledge, clinical ability, operational ability, foreign language level, basic research ability and participation of scientific research activities of students in the two groups were evaluated. SPSS 19.0 was used for t test, chi-square test and U test. Results:The results of operational ability ( t=3.537, P=0.000), the number of papers that had been read ( t=6.961, P=0.000), quality of these ( U=68.000, P=0.017), the number of literature reviews that had been written and reading notes ( χ2=4.747, P=0.000), participation in scientific research activities ( t=6.788, P=0.009) of students in the experimental group were better and higher than those in the control group. In the same period, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the scores of theoretical exam, clinical competence and foreign language tests. Conclusion:The implementation of tutorial system for medical students in non-affiliated hospitals is an effective measure to improve the quality of training. We should make full use of the short intership, to improve the comprehensive quality of students by establishing perfect rules, regulations and teaching evaluation system, and educate students in accordance with their own ability.

A 37-year-old woman presented with a congenital spinal meningocele for 37 years and ruptured for 6 months. She was admitted to the Plastic Surgery Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in March 2018. The diameter of the lesion was about 10 cm, with purulent secretion and malodor. The superior gluteal artery perforator propeller flap was used to reconstruct the defect after the lesion resection. Part of the wound didn’t heal and cerebrospinal fluid leaked from the wound postoperatively. The wound eventually healed after wound debridement and drainage changing. Cerebrospinal fluid retention under the flap could result in wound dehiscence and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. The author introduced the treatment process and operative method. The preliminary experience in treating cerebrospinal fluid leakage after surgical management of the spinal meningocele was also summarized.

Objective: To investigate the distribution of the septocutaneous perforators in the medial arm and its clinical applications. Methods: Between March 2014 and August 2018, 39 patients (45 arms) were included in the study. A coordinate system originating at the medial epicondyle was established, with the y-axis running to the axillary apex and expressed in relative value. The y-axis was trisected and each third from proximal to distal were designated as A, B, and C, respectively. Based on this, the medial arm flap was used to reconstruct defects in the head and neck, hand, axilla, elbow and chest wall. Results: An average of 4.6 perforators were identified along the medial intermuscular septum of the arm, located at 0.87±0.08, 0.50±0.09 and 0.20±0.06 on the y-axis, with a prevalence of 95.6%, 100% and 86.7%, respectively. Among the 45 flaps, 30 were used as pedicled distant flaps and 15 as perforator-based propeller flaps, with an average size of 18.7 cm×8.1 cm. The average length of the perforator pedicle was 3.1 cm. One pedicled distant flap developed hematoma after pedicle division but recovered with hematoma removal. One perforator-based propeller flap had partial loss of the distal third, requiring surgical debridement followed by a local flap transfer. Two perforator-based propeller flaps had venous congestion but survived completely with conservative therapy. The remaining flaps healed uneventfully. Donor-site morbidity was minimal. The patients were followed up for 6 months to 3 years (average 12.6 months) with satisfactory aesthetic appearance, greatly improved function and no tumor recurrence. Conclusions The constant perforators could be found in each third of the medial arm. The perforator-based medial arm flap could be used for various soft-tissue defect reconstructions.

Objective To explore the application of fuzzy mathematics theory in the evaluation of medical students' comprehensive mental quality. Methods A total of 80 medical undergraduates studying in the Affiliated Huai'an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from October to December 2017 were randomly selected to conduct a questionnaire survey on medical students' mental quality. The questionnaires were designed by the study group, containing 3 first-level items (learning pressure, life stress and interpersonal stress), and 19 secondary items, with the recovery rate as 95%. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used for data processing and analysis. Results By comparing the data obtained from the comprehensive evaluation of the secondary factors with those of the pre-set evaluation set, the study concluded that 25.00% of the medical students need to adjust the future pressure, 41.70% the family health status pressure and 26.79% the appearance pressure according to the principle of maximum mem-bership degree. The comprehensive evaluation of the first four factors (0.249 7, 0.268 9, 0.270 2, and 0.211 2) showed that the comprehensive mental quality of medical students was "good". The quantitative analysis results showed that 27.02% of the medical students had good comprehensive mental quality, 24.97% need the mental quality adjustments, 26.89% had the average mental quality, and 21.12% had outstanding mental quality. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation indicated that it is necessary to adjust the learning pressure and life stress of medical students, while the interpersonal stress had little effect on the mental quality of medical students. Conclusion The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation adopts the quantitative method to deal with the qualitative indicators uniformly, being scientific and reasonable. The corresponding data of each indicator can be easily identified with the help of the indicator system built up in the evaluation, which provides evidence for distinguishing and improving the corresponding decision-making for improving the medical students' mental quality. This evaluation method has strong applicability and provides new methods and ideas for objectively evaluating the comprehensive mental quality of medical students.

Objective: To explore the feasibility and technical tips of defect reconstruction using the pre-expanded perforator propeller (PEPP) flap. Methods: From July 2009 to December 2017, 56 patients underwent defect reconstruction using the PEPP flap. During the first-stage operation, an expander with appropriate size was buried within a soft-tissue pocket. Three strategies were used for expander placement, including placement of the expander underneath the muscle, at a distance from the emergence point of the perforator when the perforator location is relatively fixed, and following the criteria when a free-style perforator flap is designed. At the second-stage operation, a PEPP flap was raised and rotated a certain number of degrees to reconstruct the defect. Results: 56 flaps were elevated. The expanders were buried according to the strategy Ⅰ in 2 cases, the strategy Ⅱ in 42 cases, and the strategy Ⅲ in 12 cases. The flap size ranged from 7-13 cm to 14-32 cm with the average size of 9.38 cm × 21.22 cm. The pedicle length ranged from 2.5 cm to 10 cm and the mean length was 5.03 cm. The rotation angle was 180 degrees in 44 cases, 150 and 120 degrees in 6 cases respectively. The perforators that were previously explored were all identified during the second-stage operation. 53 flaps survived completely. Venous congestion of the distal portion of the flap was observed after the surgery in two cases. Necrosis of small area of the flap occurred and free skin grafting was used to resurface the defect after debridement. All patients were followed up for 3 months to 4 years and the average follow-up time was 13.4 months. Conclusions The PEPP flap can not only ensure primary closure of the donor site, but also provide more extra tissue for defect reconstruction. For selected patients, it could be an alternative option for soft-tissue defect reconstruction.