BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening in high-risk populations. However, the ideal HCC screening interval and screening modality have not been determined. This study aimed to compare the screening efficacy among different modalities with various intervals. METHODS: PubMed and other nine databases were searched through June 30, 2021. Binary outcomes were pooled using risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Survival rates were also pooled using RR with 95% CIs because most eligible studies only provided the number of survival patients instead of hazard ratio. RESULTS: In all, 13 studies were included. Two random controlled trials (RCTs) and six cohort studies compared screening intervals for ultrasonography (US) screening and found no significant differences between shorter (3- or 4-month) and longer (6- or 12-month) screening intervals in terms of early HCC proportion, HCC significant mortality, 1-year survival rate; screening at 6-month interval significantly increased the proportion of early HCC (RR = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.26) and prolonged the 5-year survival rate (RR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.07-1.82) relative to the 12-month interval results. Three other RCTs and two cohort studies compared different screening modalities in cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B, which indicated no statistical differences in the proportion of early HCC (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.40-1.96) and HCC mortality (RR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.23-2.09) between the biannual US and annual computed tomography (CT screening). Biannual US screening showed a lower proportion of early HCC than biannual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (RR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.37-0.97) and biannual US combined with annual CT (RR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.13-1.51) screening. The proportion of early HCC in the contrast-enhanced US group was slightly higher than that in the B-mode US (RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.00-1.23) group. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence suggests that 6 months may be the best HCC screening interval for US screening. The effectiveness of CT and MRI is better than US during same screening intervals. However, MRI and CT are more expensive than US, and CT also can increase the risk of radiation exposure. The selection of CT or MRI instead of US should be carefully considered. REGISTRATION No. CRD42020148258 at PROSPERO website ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ).
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology* ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications* ; Risk Factors ; Cohort Studies

Objective:To analyze the relationship between the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and anxiety levels in patients hospitalized with cardiovascular-related diseases and hypertension.Methods:A total of 221 patients hospitalized with cardiovascular-related diseases in the Fuwai Hospital were selected by a voluntary sampling method from September to December 2021. Participants were divided into hypertensive and non-hypertensive groups ( n=119 and n=102) based on the diagnosis of hypertension in their inpatient medical records. Anxiety levels were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and the levels of serum hs-CRP were estimated by automatic immunoanalyzer. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between hs-CRP and anxiety. Results:In the hypertensive group, the risk of anxiety in patients with abnormal hs-CRP (>3 mg/L) was 4.239 times (95% CI: 1.569-11.748, P=0.005) higher than those in normal hs-CRP (≤3 mg/L). In turn, compared with patients without anxiety, those with anxiety had 3.878 times greater probability of experiencing abnormal hs-CRP (95% CI: 1.495-10.062, P=0.005), while those with mild anxiety and moderate to severe anxiety had 4.525 times (95% CI: 1.392-14.714, P=0.012) and 3.286 times (95% CI: 0.911-11.357, P=0.070) greater odds of experiencing abnormal hs-CRP, respectively. No similar significant association was seen in the non-hypertensive group. Conclusion:There is an interrelationship between elevated hs-CRP and anxiety in hospitalized patients with cardiovascular-related diseases and hypertension.

Objective:To investigate the effect of ionizing radiation on the ferroptosis of skin cells and the potential therapeutic strategy of ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) on irradiated skin cells.Methods:HaCaT cells were pre-treated with Fer-1 before X-ray irradiation. After irradiation, CCK-8 assay and LDH release assay were used to detect cell viability and cell death, flow cytometry was used to detect the lipid peroxidation levels, crystal violet staining assay was used to detect colony forming ability, and the expressions of ferroptosis related proteins ACSL4 and GPX4 were detected by Western blot.Results:The cell viability of HaCaT cells was significantly decreased ( t=5.63, 8.74, P<0.05) and the release of LDH was significantly increased ( t=3.98, 5.08, 9.27, P<0.05) after different doses of X-ray irradiation. The cell viability was improved ( t=5.79, P<0.05) and the release of LDH was reduced ( t=12.36, 11.96, 18.13, 9.96, P<0.05) after the pre-treatment with Fer-1. The lipid peroxidation levels of HaCaT cells were significantly increased ( t=9.59, P<0.05) and the clonogenic survival ability were reduced ( t=4.26, P<0.05) after 10 Gy X-ray irradiation, while Fer-1 pre-treatment reduced ( t=6.48, 17.04, P<0.05) the increase of lipid peroxidation level induced by X-ray irradiation and also effectively restore ( t=3.96, P<0.05) the clonogenic survival ability. The expressions of ACSL4 and GPX4 were decreased after 10 Gy X-ray irradiation, while they recovered to normal level ( t=5.23, 7.16, 4.78, 8.29, 6.43, P<0.05) after the pre-treatment with Fer-1. Conclusions:Ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 alleviates the progress of radiation-induced skin injury by inhibiting ferroptosis after ionizing radiation at the cellular level, which provides a potential strategy for the protection of radiation injury.

Objective:To explore the influence of fermented red ginseng extract (FRGE) in the proliferation of rat glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) and the degradation of extracellular matrix(ECM)under high sugar stimulation, and to clarify the prevention and treatment effects of FRGE on diabetic nephropathy (DN) and the possible mechanism.Methods:The rat GMCs were cultured and divided into normal concentration of D-glucose (NG) group, high concentration of D-glucose (HG) group and high concentration of D-glucose plus different concentrations (3.75, 7.50, 15.00 mg·L-1) of FRGE groups. The proliferation rates of rat GMCs were detected with MTT,and the type Ⅳcollagen(Col Ⅳ) levels in supernatants of the GMCs were detected by ELISA. The protein expressions levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) were detected with Western blotting m ethod.Results:Compared with NG group, the proliferation rate of GMCs in HG group was increased(P<0.01), the Col Ⅳ level was increased(P<0.01),the MMP-2 expression level was decreased, and the TIMP-2 expression level was up-regulated(P<0.01).Compared with HG group, the proliferation rates of GMCs in various FRGE groups were decreased(P<0.01), the Col Ⅳ levels were decreased(P<0.01),the expression levels of TIMP-2 were reduced(P<0.01),and the expression levels of MMP-2 were increased(P<0.01).Conclusion:FRGE can inhibit the proliferation of rat GMCs induced by high sugar and promote the ECM degradation to delay the occurrence and development of DN.

It is noteworthy that the incidence of thyroid cancer around the world has increased significantly in recent decades,raising an imperative need to research its pathogenesis,diagnosis and treatment.Up to now,fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid has been acknowledged to discriminate benign from malignant thyroid nodules with the highest sensitivity and specificity.However,10％ to 40％ thyroid nodules cannot be discriminated by FNAB.Therefore,it is vitally important to look for highly-correlated tumor makers in molecule level.BRAF mutation is a focus in thyroid cancer research,and some studies showed that this mutation is essential to the onset and development of thyroid cancer,especially papillary thyroid cancer.Joint detection of BRAF mutation could improve diagnostic sensitivity of thyroid cancer,which is crucial for thyroid cancer diagnosis and classification.As for treatment,the discovery of target gene enabled molecule therapy for thyroid cancer,raising hopes for patients with thyroid cancer that refractory to conventional treatments.Currently,many molecule therapeutics relating to BRAF has already undergone clinical trials.It is believed that further research on BRAF-thyroid cancer relationship could create a new field for diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer,and set a mode for discovering others molecule markers.

It is noteworthy that the incidence of thyroid cancer around the world has increased significantly in recent decades,raising an imperative need to research its pathogenesis,diagnosis and treatment.Up to now,fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid has been acknowledged to discriminate benign from malignant thyroid nodules with the highest sensitivity and specificity.However,10％ to 40％ thyroid nodules cannot be discriminated by FNAB.Therefore,it is vitally important to look for highly-correlated tumor makers in molecule level.BRAF mutation is a focus in thyroid cancer research,and some studies showed that this mutation is essential to the onset and development of thyroid cancer,especially papillary thyroid cancer.Joint detection of BRAF mutation could improve diagnostic sensitivity of thyroid cancer,which is crucial for thyroid cancer diagnosis and classification.As for treatment,the discovery of target gene enabled molecule therapy for thyroid cancer,raising hopes for patients with thyroid cancer that refractory to conventional treatments.Currently,many molecule therapeutics relating to BRAF has already undergone clinical trials.It is believed that further research on BRAF-thyroid cancer relationship could create a new field for diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer,and set a mode for discovering others molecule markers.

Reduced sulfur compounds ( RSCs) are one of the main pollutant species in the atmosphere, so it is of great significance to develop a rapid and on-line approaches for their detection. In this study, a portable time-of-flight mass spectrometer ( TOF-MS) with magnetic field enhanced photoelectron ionization source was designed to detect RSCs. The photoelectron ionization source was induced from vacuum ultraviolet photons which generated from vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lamp with energy of 10. 6 eV. The energy of photoelectrons was controlled by adjusting the extraction voltage to produce the photoelectron ionization, and an annular magnet was used in the ionization region to improve the ionization efficiency of photoelectrons. From the simulation result by SIMION software, it was found that the introduction of magnet field made the motion trajectroies of electrons in the helical motion increase and the convergence of electron at the ionization source was achieved. Experimental results showed that after introducing the magnet filed, the sensitivity of H2 S, SO2 and CS2 was improved by a factor of 5. 3, 9. 4 and 6. 9, respectively. With a detection time of 50 s, the limits of detection for H2S, SO2 and CS2 were 0. 14, 0. 52 and 0. 31 mg/m3(S/N=3), respectively. It could be concluded that the portable TOF-MS with magnetic field enhanced photoelectron ionization source has great potential to be applied for on-line monitoring of volatile sulfides at the emission source.

Objective To investigate the methylation situation of let‐7a‐3 promoter in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and its clinical significance .Methods The methylation level of let‐7a‐3 promoter in the bone marrow mononuclear cells of 52 CML patients and 25 controls was detected by using the real‐time quantitative methylation‐specific PCR (RQ‐PCR) .Results The non-hypomethylation of let‐7a‐3 promoter was positive in 31 cases(59 .6% ) of 52 CML patients ,while only 1 case(4% ,1/25) in the control group ,the difference between the two groups were statistically significant (P< 0 .01) .The ROC curve analysis showed that the non -hypomethylation of let‐7a‐3 has better specificity for the auxiliary diagnosis of CML .The significantly posi‐tive correlation was found between the non -methylation level of let‐7a‐3 promoter and the BCR/ABL transcription level (r=0 .641 ,P=0 .001) .In contrast ,there was no obvious correlation between the non -methylation level of let‐7a‐3 promoter and the WBC count ,platelet count and hemoglobin levels(P>0 .05) .The non-hypomethylation level of let‐7a‐3 in chronic phase and accel‐erate phase was significantly higher than that in blastic crisis of CML .Conclusion The hypomethylation level of let‐7a‐3 promoter is decreased with disease progression .

A new method was established for the direct, rapid and quantitative analysis of pesticide residues, dimethoate chlorothalonil and malathion by low temperature plasma ( LTP) ionization miniature ion trap mass spectrometer. The LTP ionization probe and sample inlet of ion trap mass spectrometry were enclosed in a metal cavity. With non-contact heating, the samples placed on the sample platform were desorbed into gaseous phase and ionized by LTP ionization probe. The results showed that closed ionization had an edge over the opened ionization. The quantitative analysis of 3 pesticides within the range of 0. 5-10 mg/L was realized by optimizing heating time and flow rate of air, and the relative standard deviations of signal intensity is less than 11%. LODs of pesticide, which were obtained within 5 s, were as low as several hundred pictograms. The results showed that the method could be used for the analysis of pesticide residue on green and organic fruits or vegetables.

BACKGROUND:Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy is one of the most important factors of lumbar spinal stenosis, but the molecular mechanism is stil not very clear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the role of basic fibroblast growth factor, connective tissue growth factor and transforming growth factor β1 in hypertrophy of the lumbar ligamentum flavum. METHODS: The ligamentum flavum samples were divided into three groups according to different diseases: control group (acquired from the patients with lumbar spinal canal tumor,n=6), lumbar disc herniation (LDH) group (acquired from the patients with LDH,n=6) and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) group (acquired from the patients with LSS,n=6). Then the mRNA expressions of basic fibroblast growth factor, connective tissue growth factor, transforming growth factor β1 and colagen I, III, V of the ligamentum flavum were detected using real-time quantitative RT-PCR method. The roles of basic fibroblast growth factor, connective tissue growth factor and transforming growth factor β1 were explored. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The expression of basic fibroblast growth factor mRNA in the LSS group was significantly higher than that in the LDH and control groups (bothP < 0.05); the expression of connective tissue growth factor mRNA was not found statisticaly different among the three groups, although it was slightly higher in the LSS group (P> 0.05); the expression of transforming growth factor β1 mRNA was significantly higher in the LSS group than in the LDH and control groups (bothP < 0.01). The colagen I mRNA expressed significantly higher in the LSS group than the LDH and control groups (bothP < 0.05), but both the colagen III and V mRNA showed no significant difference among the three groups (P> 0.05). This study indicate that both basic fibroblast growth factor and transforming growth factor β1 play important roles in the formation process of the lumbar ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, and the main type of the colagen in the hypertrophied ligamentum flavum is colagen I.