Objective To investigate the mid- to long-term follow-up results of ascending aorta (AAO)-descending thoracic aorta (DTA) bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision for the treatment of complex aortic arch coarctation. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with complex aortic arch coarctation who underwent AAO-DTA bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision at the First Hospital of Tsinghua University from August 2004 to May 2017. Results A total of 7 patients were enrolled, including 4 males and 3 females, aged (13.3±4.6) years, and weighted (40.2±12.2) kg. Six (85.7%) patients had concomitant upper limb hypertension. Four patients were aortic arch coarctation combined with intracardiac malformations, two were post-operative restenosis, and 1 was post-operative restenosis combined with intracardiac malformation. All patients underwent surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. There were no perioperative deaths or major complications. The pre-operative upper-lower limb pressure difference was (39.3±19.2) mm Hg, which decreased to (2.9±2.7) mm Hg post-operatively (P<0.01). The follow-up period was (14.9±5.9) years. There were no long-term deaths or artificial graft-related complications. Except for one patient who still had mild hypertension, the blood pressure of the remaining patients returned to normal. Conclusion AAO-DTA bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision for the treatment of complex aortic arch coarctation can effectively reduce upper limb blood pressure and the upper-lower limb arterial pressure difference, has fewer complications, and demonstrates satisfactory mid- to long-term efficacy.

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) in patients with heart failure.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study of patients with heart failure who underwent CCM placement at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February to June 2022. With a follow-up of 3 months, CCM sensation, impedance, percent output, and work time were monitored, and patients were compared with pre-and 3-month postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values, and 6-minute walk test distance and New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function classification, and the occurrence of complications was recorded.Results:CCM was successfully implanted in all 9 patients. Seven(7/9) of them were male, aged (56±14) years, 3 patients had ischaemic cardiomyopathy and 6 patients had dilated cardiomyopathy. At 3-month postoperative follow-up, threshold was stable, sense was significantly lower at follow-up than before (right ventricle: (16.3±7.0) mV vs. (8.2±1.1) mV, P<0.05; local sense: (15.7±4.9) mV vs. (6.7±2.5) mV, P<0.05), and impedance was significantly lower at follow-up than before (right ventricle (846±179) Ω vs. (470±65) Ω, P<0.05, local sense: (832±246) Ω vs. (464±63) Ω, P<0.05). The CCM output percentage was (86.9±10.7) %, the output amplitude was (6.7±0.4) V, and the daily operating time was (8.6±1.0) h. LVEF was elevated compared to preoperative ((29.4±5.2) % vs. (38.3±4.3) %, P<0.05), the 6-minute walk test was significantly longer than before ((96.8±66.7)m vs. (289.3±121.7)m, P<0.05). No significant increase in the number of NYHA Class Ⅲ-Ⅳ patients was seen (7/9 vs. 2/9, P>0.05). The patient was not re-hospitalised for worsening heart failure symptoms, had no malignant arrhythmic events and experienced significant relief of symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath. No postoperative complications related to pocket hematoma, pocket infection and rupture, electrode detachment, valve function impairment, pericardial effusion, or cardiac perforation were found. Conclusions:CCM has better short-term safety and efficacy in patients with heart failure.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between early recurrence and late recurrence within 48 hours after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on atrial fibrillation patients who underwent catheter ablation at the Heart Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from April 2020 to November 2021. Preoperative examinations and baseline data of patients were collected. After surgery, the patient was given continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for 48 hours to observe whether there was early recurrence of atrial fibrillation. Follow up visits were conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery to observe whether there were atrial fibrillation events. The impact of extremely early recurrence on late recurrence free atrial fibrillation was analyzed using Kaplan Meier curves, and the predictive value of extremely early recurrence and other indicators for late atrial fibrillation recurrence was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results:A total of 96 patients who underwent catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation for the first time were included in this study, with an age of (60.2±12.6)years. Among them, 46 patients (47.92%) experienced very early recurrence within 48 hours after surgery. During the 1-year follow-up, 16 patients in the very early recurrence group experienced late recurrence, which was statistically significant compared to the very early non recurrence group ( P=0.003). The proportion of persistent atrial fibrillation was higher in patients with very early recurrence (32.6% vs 8.0%, P=0.006), and more patients with late recurrence (34.8% vs 8.0%, P=0.003). The left atrial diameter was larger [(40.28±4.72)mm vs (37.10±4.35)mm, P=0.001]. The Kaplan Meier curve showed that compared with the very early non recurrence group, the late recurrence rate of patients in the very early recurrence group was significantly higher (Long rank P=0.001 6). Cox single factor regression analysis showed that very early recurrence, age increase, increased left atrial diameter, hypertension and diabetes were risk factors for late recurrence (all P<0.2). Multivariate regression analysis suggested that extremely early recurrence was an independent risk factor for late recurrence ( HR=3.99, 95% CI: 1.22-13.06, P=0.021). The area under the ROC curve for predicting late recurrence after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation with extremely early recurrence was 0.703, and the negative predictive value was 0.920. Conclusions:Early recurrence within 48 hours after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is an independent risk factor for late recurrence and has good predictive value.

Central Asia is an important hub connecting the Asian continent and European continent, and one of the key regions for China's foreign exchange and cooperation in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Central Asian countries have relatively backward medical conditions, and TCM has become an important part of local healthcare. Regulations on traditional/complementary and alternative medicine have been issued in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan; acupuncture and moxibustion has been covered by medical insurance in Kyrgyzstan; TCM has existed in other Central Asian countries in form of folk medicine. Central Asian countries are extremely rich in medicinal plant resources, but weak in foundation of pharmaceutical industry. Chinese government has signed cooperation agreements on TCM with many Central Asian countries, and the practical cooperation in the field of traditional medicine have continued to expand. At present, the development of TCM in Central Asian countries still faces problems such as weak foundation for the development and utilization of medicinal materials, shortage of professionals talents in TCM education and small scale of TCM clinics. In view of the above, in order to promote the dissemination and development of TCM in Central Asian countries, it is recommended that relevant units promote the establishment of joint laboratories or research centers of Chinese materia medica; give full play to local resource advantages and promote the development of medicinal plant industry; to strengthen the construction of overseas centers of TCM; actively carry out joint education or further education projects, and cultivate localized senior talents.

Objective Based on HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway,to investigate the effects of Shenqi Yiliu decoction combined with cisplatin on H22 liver cancer tumor mice and the effects of related immune indicators.Methods 50 SPF grade male KM mice,10 mice were taken as blank group by random number table method,and the other 40 mice were replicated as H22 hepatocellular carcinoma tumor-bearing mice model.After successful replication of the model,the model mice were randomly divided into model group,cisplatin group(2.5×10-3 g·kg-1),Shenqi Yiliu decoction TCM group(27.03 g·kg-1),and Shenqi Yiliu decoction TCM(27.03 g·kg-1)combined with cisplatin(2.5×10-3 g·kg-1),10 mice in each group were treated for 13 d.Determine tumor suppression rate,spleen index and thymus index;HE observes changes in oncology pathology;streaming cells detect the level of CD4+T,CD8+T cells in the spleen tissue;PT-PCR and WB method detect genes and protein expression related to HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways in tumor tissues.Results ①Compared with the blank group,the mean body mass and mouse spleen index,thymus index,CD4+ T cell level and CD4+T/CD8+T value were significantly lower and CD8+T cell level was higher in the model group(P<0.05);②Compared with the model group,the mean tumor mass decreased(P<0.05),tumor volume decreased(P<0.05),and body mass increased(P<0.05)in each treatment group,and the spleen index,thymus index,CD4+T cell level and CD4+T/CD8+T ratio increased and CD8+T cell level decreased in both the Chinese medicine group and the combination group,and the treatment effect was significant in the Chinese medicine group(P<0.05),and HMGB1,TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB mRNA and protein expression in tumor tissues of mice were reduced,and the effect was significant in the combined group(P<0.05).③Compared with the cisplatin group,HMGB1,TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB mRNA and protein expression were reduced in the tumor tissues of mice in the combination group(P<0.05).④HMGB1,TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB mRNA and protein expression in tumor tissues of mice in the combined group were reduced compared with those in the Chinese medicine group(P<0.05).Conclusion Shenqi Yiliu decoction combined with cisplatin can effectively inhibit tumor growth and improve related immune indexes in H22 hepatocellular carcinoma tumor-bearing mice,and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway activation.

Objective:To investigate the association between abnormal left atrial appendage function and thrombotic events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and the independent risk factors affecting left atrial appendage function.Methods:Patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, who visited the Atrial Fibrillation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from June 1, 2019 to June 1, 2021, were selected. According to left atrial appendage flow velocity (LAAFV), they were divided into normal left atrial appendage function group (297 patients with LAAFV ≥ 40 cm/s) and abnormal left atrial appendage function group (85 patients with LAAFV<40 cm/s). Baseline data and transesophageal echocardiography images were collected from all the patients. The occurrence of thrombotic events was recorded. Univariate and multivariate unconditional logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the correlation between abnormal left atrial appendage function and the occurrence of thrombotic events.Results:There were significant differences in gender, type of atrial fibrillation, CHA 2DS 2-VASc score, anticoagulant therapy, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, international normalized ratio (INR), left atrial diameter, proportion of patients with right atrial enlargement, left ventricular ejection fraction, inner diameter, sum of inner diameter, depth, and sum of depth of all angles of the left atrial appendage, and incidence of thrombotic events between the two groups (all P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders, multivariate unconditional logistic regression analyses showed that abnormal left atrial appendage function was closely associated with thrombotic events (β=1.168 P=0.002), and left atrial diameter ( OR=1.084, 95% CI 1.019-1.153, P=0.011) and persistent atrial fibrillation ( OR=2.323, 95% CI 1.226-4.403, P=0.010) were independent risk factors affecting left atrial appendage function. Conclusions:Abnormal left atrial appendage function is closely associated with thrombosis. The left atrial diameter and persistent atrial fibrillation were independent risk factors affecting left atrial appendage function.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has become an important part in the healthcare system of Latin American countries, especially the TCM therapy represented by acupuncture and moxibustion. Acupuncture and moxibustion has been included in the medical insurance system of Brazil and Ecuador, and many universities in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico and other countries offer courses related to traditional medicine, including acupuncture and moxibustion courses. Latin American counties are rich in medicinal plant resources. Argentina, Chile, Colombia and other countries have publicized regulations related to the use of herbs.China has signed cooperation agreements on TCM with many Latin American countries and, they have showed desire to strengthen cooperation with China. At present, the development of TCM in Latin American countries faces some problems, such as the scale of TCM clinics is small, the quality of TCM training are unbalanced, and there are many restrictions on TCM products entering the Latin American market. In order to promote cooperation with Latin American countries in TCM and expand its scale and development, it is suggested that China should carry out in-depth cooperation on global public health governance at the national level, plan the layout of overseas centers of TCM in Latin America and promote the construction, while scientific research institutions of TCM should carry out joint research on TCM with Latin American countries, and strengthen cooperation in running schools to standardize TCM education.

The parahippocampal gyrus-orbitofrontal cortex (PHG-OFC) circuit in humans is homologous to the postrhinal cortex (POR)-ventral lateral orbitofrontal cortex (vlOFC) circuit in rodents. Both are associated with visuospatial malfunctions in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we explored the relationship between an impaired POR-vlOFC circuit and visuospatial memory deficits through retrograde tracing and in vivo local field potential recordings in 5XFAD mice, and investigated alterations of the PHG-OFC circuit by multi-domain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients on the AD spectrum. We demonstrated that an impaired glutamatergic POR-vlOFC circuit resulted in deficient visuospatial memory in 5XFAD mice. Moreover, MRI measurements of the PHG-OFC circuit had an accuracy of 77.33% for the classification of amnestic mild cognitive impairment converters versus non-converters. Thus, the PHG-OFC circuit explains the neuroanatomical basis of visuospatial memory deficits in AD, thereby providing a potential predictor for AD progression and a promising interventional approach for AD.

To evaluate the cardiotoxicity of three novel proteasome inhibitors(NNU395, NNU458 and NNU459)in zebrafish, normal developmental zebrafish embryos at 6 hours post fertilization(hpf)were treated with different doses of NNU395 and NNU458 and NNU459 until 72 hpf, the zebrafish mortality was counted. Morphologic changes of the cardiovascular system were observed under a stereomicroscope, and the number of heart beats within 1 min was determined. The expression of cardiac development-related genes in zebrafish was detected by RT-qPCR(Quantitative Real-Time PCR). Results showed that NNU395, NNU458 and NNU459 increased the mortality of zebrafish in a concentration-dependent manner and the values of LC50(50% lethal concentration)were(179. 7±12. 2), (27. 5±1. 3)and(24. 4±2. 6)μmol/L, respectively. Moreover, the toxicity of our three compounds in zebrafish are less when compared with their modified precursors. Upon administration of NNU395 at the concentrations of 120- 200 μmol/L, and NNU458 or NNU459 at the concentration of 30 μmol/L, the zebrafish showed obvious pericardial edema cardiac malformation. 120- 200 μmol/L NNU395 and 0. 1- 30 μmol/L NNU458 or 10- 30 μmol/L NNU459 significantly reduced the heart rate of zebrafish. All of three compounds at the tested concentration had no significant effects on the expression of the heart development-related genes in zebrafish. Our results suggested that low concentrations of NNU395, NNU458 and NNU459 have no obvious toxicity on cardiac development of zebrafish. While, higher concentrations of them showed cardiovascular toxicity on zebrafish.

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic values of latex immunoturbidimetric assay (LIA) and particle immunofiltration assay (PIFA) for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) . Methods: Samples from 94 patients with suspected HIT from May 2016 to July 2018 in our hospital were prospectively analyzed by the two immunoassays. Their medical records and further follow-up data were also collected and analyzed by our hematologists to make the 4Ts scores and confirm the diagnosis of HIT, respectively. Performance characteristics of the two immunoassays were assessed, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) . Their post-test probabilities (PTP) were also calculated based on the 4Ts score. Results: Among 94 cases, 15 (16.0%) had a positive HIT, including 6 of 37 (16.2%) with an intermediate, and 9 of 15 (60.0%) with a high 4Ts score. PIFA operating characteristics were: sensitivity 100.0% (15/15) , specificity 51.9% (41/80) , PPV 28.3% (15/53) , NPV 100.0% (41/41) . The positive PTP in intermediate and high 4Ts score group were 28.7% and 75.7%, respectively, while negative PTP were all 0. At manufacturers’ cutoffs, LIA operating characteristics were: sensitivity 66.7% (10/15) , specificity 94.9% (75/79) , PPV 71.4% (10/14) and NPV 93.8% (75/80) . The positive and negative PTP in intermediate 4Ts score group were 71.8% and 6.3%, while 95.2% and 34.4% in high 4Ts score group, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis manifested that LIA was preferable than PIFA, and combining the 2 assays together was significantly better than single test. Conclusions 4Ts score is still an important tool for the diagnosis of HIT. Combining clinical score with heparin/PF4 antibody assay can increase the accuracy of confirming or excluding HIT. Although PIFA is inferior to LIA in the diagnostic value, its user friendliness and 100% NPV have major advantages. Combining the 2 assays together can achieve a higher diagnostic value.