Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of valve surgeries for infective endocarditis and the affecting factors, and compare the early- and long-term postoperative outcomes of different surgery approaches. Methods The patients with infective endocarditis who underwent valve replacement/valvuloplasty in our hospital from 2010 to 2022 were retrospectively collected. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed. Results A total of 343 patients were enrolled, including 197 patients with mechanical valve replacement, 62 patients with bioprosthetic valve replacement, and 84 patients with valvuloplasty. There were 238 males and 105 females with an average age of (44.2±14.8) years. Single-valve endocarditis was present in 200 (58.3%) patients, and multivalve involvement was present in 143 (41.7%) patients. Sixty (17.5%) patients had suffered thrombosis before surgery, including cerebral embolisms in 32 patients. The mean follow-up time was (60.6±43.8) months. Early mortality within one month after the surgery occurred in 17 (5.0%) patients, while later mortality occurred in 19 (5.5%) patients. Eight (2.3%) patients underwent postoperative dialysis, 13 (3.8%) patients suffered postoperative stroke, 6 patients underwent reoperation, and 3 patients suffered recurrence of infective endocarditis. Smoking (P=0.002), preoperative embolisms (P=0.001), duration of surgery (P=0.001), and postoperative dialysis (P=0.001) were risk factors for early mortality, and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥60% (P=0.022) was protective factor for early mortality. New York Heart Association classification Ⅲ-Ⅳ (P=0.010) and ≥3 valve procedures (P=0.028) were risk factors for late mortality. The rate of composite endpoint events was significantly lower in the valvuloplasty group than that in the valve replacement group. Conclusion For patients with infective endocarditis, smoking and preoperative embolisms are associated with high postoperative mortality, multiple-valve surgery is associated with a poorer prognosis, and valvuloplasty has advantages over valve replacement and should be attempted in the surgical management of patients with infective endocarditis.

Extremely unbalanced data here refers to datasets where the values of independent or dependent variables exhibit severe unbalance in proportions, such as extremely unbalanced case-control ratio, very low incidence rate of disease, heavily censored time-to-event data, and low-frequency or rare variants. In such scenarios, the statistic derived from hypothesis test using the classical statistical method, e.g., logistic regression model and Cox proportional hazard regression model, might deviate from theoretical asymptotic distribution, resulting in inflation or deflation of type I error. With the increased availability and exploration of resources from large-scale population cohorts in genome-wide association study (GWAS), there is a growing demand for effective and accurate statistical approaches to handle extremely unbalanced data in independent and non-independent samples. Our study introduces classical statistical methods in genetic statistics firstly, then, summarizes the failure of classical statistical methods in dealing with extremely unbalanced data through simulation experiments to draw researchers' attention to the extremely unbalanced data in GWAS.

Objective:To compare and discuss the mid-to-long-term outcomes of mitral valve repair (MVP) versus biological mitral valve replacement (bMVR) in patients aged 60 years and above with rheumatic mitral valve disease.Methods:This is a retrospective cohort study. A total of 765 patients aged 60 years and older, diagnosed with rheumatic mitral valve disease and who underwent MVP or bMVR at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2010 to January 2023, were retrospectively included. Among them, 186 were male and 579 were female, with an age of (66.1±4.5) years (range: 60 to 82 years). Patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical method: the mitral valve repair group (MVP group, n=256) and the bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement group (bMVR group, n=509). A 1∶1 propensity score matching was performed using a caliper value of 0.2 based on preoperative data. Paired sample t-tests, χ2 tests, or Fisher′s exact tests were used for intergroup comparisons. Kaplan-Meier method was employed to plot survival curves and valve-related reoperation rate curves for both groups before and after matching, and Log-rank tests were used to compare the mid-to long-term survival rates and valve-related reoperation rates between the two groups. Results:A total of 765 patients who completed follow-up were ultimately included, with a follow-up period ( M(IQR)) of 5.1(5.0) years (range: 1.0 to 12.9 years). After matching, each group consisted of 256 patients. The incidence of early postoperative atrial fibrillation (39.1% vs. 49.2%, χ2=4.95, P=0.026) and early mortality rates (2.0% vs. 6.2%, χ2=4.97, P=0.026) were lower in the MVP group. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly higher 5-year and 10-year survival rates for the MVP group (92.54% vs. 83.02%, 86.22% vs. 70.19%, Log-rank: P=0.001). After adjustment with propensity scores, the Kaplan-Meier analysis still indicated higher 5-year and 10-year survival rates in the MVP group compared to the bMVR group (92.54% vs. 85.89%, 86.22% vs. 74.83%, Log-rank: P=0.024). There were no significant differences in the rates of valve-related reoperation between the two groups before and after matching (5-year and 10-year reoperation rates pre-matching: 1.75% vs. 0.57%, 5.39% vs. 7.54%, Log-rank: P=0.207; post-matching: 1.75% vs. 0, 5.39% vs. 9.27%, Log-rank: P=0.157). Conclusion:For patients aged 60 years and above with rheumatic mitral valve disease, mitral valve repair offers better mid-to-long-term survival compared to biological valve replacement.

Objective:To compare and discuss the mid-to-long-term outcomes of mitral valve repair (MVP) versus biological mitral valve replacement (bMVR) in patients aged 60 years and above with rheumatic mitral valve disease.Methods:This is a retrospective cohort study. A total of 765 patients aged 60 years and older, diagnosed with rheumatic mitral valve disease and who underwent MVP or bMVR at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2010 to January 2023, were retrospectively included. Among them, 186 were male and 579 were female, with an age of (66.1±4.5) years (range: 60 to 82 years). Patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical method: the mitral valve repair group (MVP group, n=256) and the bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement group (bMVR group, n=509). A 1∶1 propensity score matching was performed using a caliper value of 0.2 based on preoperative data. Paired sample t-tests, χ2 tests, or Fisher′s exact tests were used for intergroup comparisons. Kaplan-Meier method was employed to plot survival curves and valve-related reoperation rate curves for both groups before and after matching, and Log-rank tests were used to compare the mid-to long-term survival rates and valve-related reoperation rates between the two groups. Results:A total of 765 patients who completed follow-up were ultimately included, with a follow-up period ( M(IQR)) of 5.1(5.0) years (range: 1.0 to 12.9 years). After matching, each group consisted of 256 patients. The incidence of early postoperative atrial fibrillation (39.1% vs. 49.2%, χ2=4.95, P=0.026) and early mortality rates (2.0% vs. 6.2%, χ2=4.97, P=0.026) were lower in the MVP group. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly higher 5-year and 10-year survival rates for the MVP group (92.54% vs. 83.02%, 86.22% vs. 70.19%, Log-rank: P=0.001). After adjustment with propensity scores, the Kaplan-Meier analysis still indicated higher 5-year and 10-year survival rates in the MVP group compared to the bMVR group (92.54% vs. 85.89%, 86.22% vs. 74.83%, Log-rank: P=0.024). There were no significant differences in the rates of valve-related reoperation between the two groups before and after matching (5-year and 10-year reoperation rates pre-matching: 1.75% vs. 0.57%, 5.39% vs. 7.54%, Log-rank: P=0.207; post-matching: 1.75% vs. 0, 5.39% vs. 9.27%, Log-rank: P=0.157). Conclusion:For patients aged 60 years and above with rheumatic mitral valve disease, mitral valve repair offers better mid-to-long-term survival compared to biological valve replacement.

Background/Aims: Metabolic syndrome is common in patients with acute pancreatitis and its components have been reported to be associated with infectious complications. In this post hoc analysis, we aimed to evaluate whether metabolic abnormalities impact the effect of immuneenhancing thymosin alpha-1 (Tα1) therapy in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) patients. Methods: All data were obtained from the database for a multicenter randomized clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy of Tα1 in ANP patients. Patients who discontinued the Tα1 treatment prematurely were excluded. The primary outcome was 90-day infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) after randomization. Three post hoc subgroups were defined based on the presence of hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, or both at the time of randomization. In each subgroup, the correlation between Tα1 and 90-day IPN was assessed using the Cox proportional-hazards regression model. Multivariable propensity-score methods were used to control potential bias. Results: Overall, 502 participants were included in this post hoc analysis (248 received Tα1 treatment and 254 received matching placebo treatment). Among them, 271 (54.0%) had hyperglycemia, 371 (73.9%) had hypertriglyceridemia and 229 (45.6%) had both. Tα1 therapy was associated with reduced incidence of IPN among patients with hyperglycemia (18.8% vs 29.7%: hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.37 to 0.97; p=0.03), but not in the other subgroups. Additional multivariate regression models using three propensity-score methods yielded similar results. Conclusions Among ANP patients with hyperglycemia, immune-enhancing Tα1 treatment was associated with a reduced risk of IPN (ClinicalTrials.gov, Registry number: NCT02473406).

Objective: To compare the effect of scalp acupuncture and scalp acupuncture plus acupuncture exercise therapy (AET) on walking ability in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: A total of 60 spastic CP children with gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) grades Ⅰ-Ⅲ were divided into a control group and an observation group by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with the same conventional rehabilitation and scalp acupuncture therapy for CP. The control group received conventional rehabilitation first and then scalp acupuncture. The observation group received AET, which was to receive the conventional rehabilitation and scalp acupuncture simultaneously. Before and after treatment, the clinical efficacy was evaluated by the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) score, scores of dimensions D and E of the gross motor function measure (GMFM) scale, walking speed, and walking distance. Results: During treatment, there were 2 dropouts in the observation group. After 3 courses of treatment, the MAS scores in both the control group and observation group decreased compared with the same group before treatment (P<0.05), and the scores of dimensions D and E of the GMFM, walking speed, and walking distance were increased (P<0.05); the between-group comparison showed that the MAS score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the scores of dimensions D and E of the GMFM, walking speed, and walking distance in the observation group were higher or longer than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: W ith the same treatments, scalp acupuncture combined with AET is superior to the conventional scalp acupuncture method in reducing lower-limb muscle tone, improving standing balance ability, and walking stability in children with spastic CP.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics and investigate risk factors associated with the development of plastic bronchitis(PB)in pediatric patients who have severe pneumonia caused by adenovirus(HAdVs)infections.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the clinical manifestations, laboratory results, radiological examinations, and treatment courses of 258 children who were diagnosed as HAdVs associated severe pneumonia between 1st January, 2015 and 31st October, 2019 at Shenzhen Children′s Hospital.According to the presence of PB, patients were divided into PB group( n=45)and non-PB group( n=213). Results:In PB group, the male to female ratio was 1.65∶1(including 28 boys and 17 girls)and the median age was 41.0(18.5, 65.5)months.Patients younger than 6 years of age accounted for 80.0%(36/45)and older patients accounted for 20.0%(9/45). The major clinical symptoms of patients in PB group were high fever(95.6%, 43/45), cough(100.0%, 45/45)and conjunctivitis(33.3%, 15/45). Physical examinations revealed that most patients had tachypnea(80.0%, 36/45)and crackles(80.0%, 36/45). Compared to patients in non-PB group, the duration of fever in PB group was significant longer( Z=-13.519, P<0.001). Compared to non-PB group, there was a significant decrease of the lymphocyte count[2.24(1.44, 3.84)×10 9/L vs.1.75(1.21, 3.03)×10 9/L] and a significantly increase of the procalcitonin level[0.46(0.19, 1.73)ng/mL vs.1.54(0.37, 2.96)ng/mL] in PB group( P<0.05). Chest radiological examinations revealed that patients in PB group had higher rates to develop pleural effusion(62.2% vs.42.3%) and atelectasis(57.8% vs.22.1%) of the lungs compared to non-PB group( P<0.05). The majority of patients improved after resolution of symptoms(97.8%, 44/45) in PB group.Only one patient(2.2%, 1/45) died due to discontinuation of treatment.Conjunctivitis( P<0.001, OR=108.514, 95% CI 17.476-673.791), tachypnea( P<0.001, OR=18.788, 95% CI 5.172-68.246), pleural effusion( P=0.007, OR=3.363, 95% CI 1.389-8.139) were independent risk factors associated with the development of PB in children with HAdVs associated severe pneumonia. Conclusion:Pre-school age children are at higher risk to develop HAdVs related severe pneumonia that complicated with PB.Fever and cough remain the main clinical symptoms.The presence of PB is associated with longer period of fever and higher risks to have pleural effusion and atelectasis.Conjunctivitis, tachypnea orpleural effusion are higher risk to develop PB in those with HAdVs associated severe pneumonia.

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of direct identification of microorganisms from the midstream urine by MALDI-TOF MS combined with separation gel tube and differential centrifugation. Methods A total of 2150 samples of midstream urine were collected from the outpatient and inpatients in Huadong Hospital affiliated to Fudan University from May 2017 to April 2018, including 934 males and 1216 females with an age of (72.0 ± 17.5) years. After preliminary quantification by microscopic examination, samples with a bacterial acount of ≥ 105cfu/ml were treated with two kinds of pretreatment methods to enrich the bacteria for directly identification by MS. Based on the results of quantitative urine culture and MS identification,the coincidence rates of two kinds of pretreatment methods combined with MS were analyzed. All statistical analyses were performed using Stata/SE 14.0, differences between the groups were compared by Pearson Chi-square tests. Results 464 out of 2150 midstream urine samples (21.6％) had a bacterial count ≥ 105cfu/ml after microscopic examination. In traditional culture combined with MALDI-TOF MS, 436(94.0％)cases were single species, 28(6.0％)cases were double species. Among single species of bacteria samples infection, the gram-negative bacteria accounted for 78.9％(344/436),the Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 15.8％(69/436),and the fungus accounted for 5.3％(23/436). In two methods that the separation gel tube combined MALDI-TOF MS and the differential centrifugation combined MALDI-TOF MS, the gram-negative bacteria coincidence rates were 92.4％(318/344)and 89.0％(306/344) respectively, the Gram-positive bacteria coincidence rates were 68.1％(47/69)and 62.3％(43/69) respectively,and the fungi coincidence rates were 56.5％(13/23) and 34.8％(8/23)respectively. Meanwhile,the double bacteria infection coincidence rates were 64.3％(18/28)and 60.7％(17/28). Conclusions The separation gel tube combined MALDI-TOF MS and the differential centrifugation combined MALDI-TOF MS identify directly the gram-negative bacteria in the midstream urine samples with high detection rate and accuracy,and they are rapid and simple pretreatment method,suitable for rapid screening of midstream urine.

Oxidative stress induced by free fatty acid aggravates endothelial injury, which leads to diabetic cardiovascular complications. Reduction of intracellular oxidative stress may attenuate these pathogenic processes. The dietary polyphenol resveratrol reportedly exerts potential protective effects against endothelial injury. This study determined whether resveratrol can reduce the palmitic acid (PA)-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and further explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that resveratrol significantly reduced the PA-induced endothelial ROS levels in human aortic endothelial cells. Resveratrol also induced endothelial cell autophagy, which mediated the effect of resveratrol on ROS reduction. Resveratrol stimulated autophagy via the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mTOR pathway. Taken together, these data suggest that resveratrol prevents PA-induced intracellular ROS by autophagy regulation via the AMPK-mTOR pathway. Thus, the induction of autophagy by resveratrol may provide a novel therapeutic candidate for cardioprotection in metabolic syndrome.
AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Resveratrol ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism

Objective: To study the segment of liver according to the large amount of three-dimensional(3D) reconstructive images of normal human livers and the vascular system, and to recognize the basic functional liver unit based on the anatomic features of the intrahepatic portal veins. Methods: The enhanced CT primitive DICOM files of 1 260 normal human livers from different age groups who treated from October 2013 to February 2017 provided by 16 hospitals were analyzed using the computer-aided surgery system.The 3D liver and liver vascular system were reconstructed, and the digital liver 3D model was established.The vascular morphology, anatomical features, and anatomical distributions of intrahepatic portal veins were statistically analyzed. Results: The digital liver model obtained from the 3D reconstruction of CAS displayed clear intrahepatic portal vein vessels of level four.Perform a digital liver segments study based on the analysis of level four vascular distribution areas.As the less anatomical variation of left hepatic portal vein, the liver was classified into four types of liver segmentation mainly based on right hepatic portal vein.Type A was similar to Couinaud or Cho′s segmentation, containing 8 segments(537 cases, 42.62%). Type B contained 9 segments as there are three ramifications of right-anterior portal vein(464 cases, 36.82%). The main difference for Type C was the variation of right-posterior portal vein which was sector shape(102 cases, 8.10%). Type D contained the cases with special portal vein variations, which needs three-dimensional simulation to design individualized liver resection plan(157 cases, 12.46%). These results showed that there was no significant difference in liver segmental typing between genders(χ²=2.179, P=0.536) and did not reveal any significant difference in liver segmental typing among the different age groups(χ²=0.357, P=0.949). Conclusions The 3D digital liver model can demonstrate the true 3D anatomical structures, and its spatial vascular variations.The observation of anatomic features, distribution areas of intrahepatic portal veins and individualized liver segmentation achieved via digital medical 3D visualization technology is of great value for understand the complexity of liver anatomy and to guide the precise hepatectomy.