Objective To investigate the attributable risk(AR)of Acinetobacter baumannii(AB)infection in criti-cally ill patients.Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted among adult patients in inten-sive care unit(ICU).Patients with AB isolated from sterile body fluid and confirmed with AB infection in each cen-ter were selected as the infected group.According to the matching criteria that patients should be from the same pe-riod,in the same ICU,as well as with similar APACHE Ⅱ score(±5 points)and primary diagnosis,patients who did not infect with AB were selected as the non-infected group in a 1:2 ratio.The AR was calculated.Results The in-hospital mortality of patients with AB infection in sterile body fluid was 33.3％,and that of non-infected group was 23.1％,with no statistically significant difference between the two groups(P=0.069).The AR was 10.2％(95％CI:-2.3％-22.8％).There is no statistically significant difference in mortality between non-infected pa-tients and infected patients from whose blood,cerebrospinal fluid and other specimen sources AB were isolated(P＞0.05).After infected with AB,critically ill patients with the major diagnosis of pulmonary infection had the high-est AR.There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between patients in the infected and non-infec-ted groups(P＞0.05),or between other diagnostic classifications.Conclusion The prognosis of AB infection in critically ill patients is highly overestimated,but active healthcare-associated infection control for AB in the ICU should still be carried out.

AIM:To investigate the mechanism of curcumin inhibiting the choroidal neovascularization(CNV)of brown Norway(BN)rats.METHODS: CNV model of 36 BN rats was established through laser photocoagulation induction, and they were divided into 6 groups with 6 rats in each group. Normal group was fed normally with no intervention, while 532nm laser photocoagulation was used to establish a experimental CNV model in BN rats. Rats after modeling were respectively intervened for 14d and divided into model group, ranibizumab group, curcumin low [100mg/(kg·d)], medium [200mg/(kg·d)], and high [400mg/(kg·d)] dose group. The model group was given intragastric administration of saline for 14d, ranibizumab(10mg/mL, 0.2mL/dose)was injected at 2d after photocoagulation with 5μL once for rats in ranibizumab group, and different concentrations of curcumin were intragastrically administrated to the rats in low, medium and high groups for 14d. Fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)and indocyanine green angiography(ICGA)examination were performed at 14d after photocoagulation. Ocular histopathological specimens of rats with CNV were made, and the central thickness of CNV were observed by HE staining. Ocular histopathological specimens were made, and the expressions of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway-related proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA relative expressions of AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF factor in CNV tissues were detected by RT-qPCR, and the protein expressions of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF factor in CNV tissues were detected by Western-blot.RESULTS: CNV generation rates in the model group, the ranibizumab group, and the low, medium and high-dose curcumin groups were 78.18%, 73.21%, 77.19%, 75.86%, 74.55%, respectively, which were higher than 70%. The average absorbance were 182.12±6.59, 119.22±8.03, 166.45±8.33, 164.34±5.69, 149.22±6.45, respectively; the ranibizumab group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05); the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly higher than the ranibizumab group(P<0.05), and the curcumin high-dose group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05). HE staining showed that the retinal tissue structure of BN rats in normal group was clear and neatly arranged. The central thickness of CNV in the ranibizumab group was significantly reduced at 14d after photocoagulation compared with the model group(P<0.05); While the curcumin high-dose group was significantly reduced compared with the model group(P<0.05), but increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that AKT, p-AKT, HIF-1α, and VEGF factors were negatively expressed in the retinal tissue structure of BN rats in the normal group, and no brown-yellow reactants were found. The expression of AKT, p-AKT, HIF-1α, and VEGF factors in the model group were higher than that in the normal group at 14d after photocoagulation(P<0.05); the ranibizumab group was lower than the model group(P<0.05). While the expression of the curcumin high-dose group was significantly decreased compared with the model group(P<0.05), but significantly increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P<0.05). The mRNA results showed that the relative expression levels of AKT, HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA in the model group at 14d after photocoagulation were higher than those of the normal group(P<0.05); the ranibizumab group was lower than the model group(P<0.05). While curcumin high-dose group was significantly decreased compared with the model group(P<0.05), but significantly increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P<0.05). Western-blot results showed that there was no significant difference in the relative expression of AKT protein among each experimental groups at 14d after photocoagulation. The relative expression of p-AKT protein in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group(P<0.05); the ranibizumab group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05); the curcumin high-dose group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α protein were significantly higher in the model group than in the normal group(P<0.05), and the ranibizumab group was lower than in the model group(P<0.05). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α protein was lower in the curcumin high-dose group than in the model group(P<0.05)but higher than ranibizumab group(P<0.05). The relative expression level of VEGF protein was significantly lower in the curcumin medium/high-dose group than in the model group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Curcumin at 400mg/(kg·d)has an inhibitory effect on CNV in BN rats. The mechanism may be closely related to inhibiting the activation of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease driven by antigens and mediated by T cells. Collagen II (CII) and fibrinogen (Fib) are the two main antigens in the pathogenesis of RA. The antigen produced after citrulline modification (Cit) is also one of the inducements to induce the body to produce a pathogenic anti-citrulline protein antibody (ACPA). To provide a reference for RA-related research, this study intends to establish an RA animal model by using CII, Cit-CII, Fib, and Cit-Fib antigens, emulsification with complete Freund's adjuvant and immunization with DBA/1 mice, respectively, to compare the pathological characteristics of RA models induced by different antigens from the aspects of pathology, imaging and serum biochemistry. Animal welfare and experimental process are in accordance with the regulations of the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. The results showed that the CII, Cit-CII, and Cit-Fib induced mice all had symptoms such as joint redness and swelling, and toe deformation and the clinical score and incidence rate were higher than those of the normal group. The CII group had the most serious lesions, with a incidence rate of 100%, and the Cit-CII and Cit-Fib groups had mild symptoms, with a incidence rate of 25% and 37.5%, respectively; pathological and imaging examination results showed that the joints of mice in CII-induced group showed severe synovial inflammation, cartilage and bone destruction, while those in Cit-CII and Cit-Fib group showed only slight inflammatory infiltration, joint cavity stenosis and bone destruction; the results of serum antibody detection showed that CII, Cit-CII and Cit-Fib groups all produced high levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies, among which, Cit-Fib group > Cit-CII group > CII group > Fib group, and both Cit-CII and Cit-Fib groups produced high levels of citrullinated epitope-specific antibodies, while the total IgG level was the highest in CII group; serum ELISA and RT-PCR analysis of joint tissue showed that the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and bone destruction-related molecules increased most significantly in the CII-induced group, followed by Cit-Fib and Cit-CII. The above results showed that among the four different antigens, the symptoms and conditions of arthritis in RA mice induced by CII were the most serious, and IgG instead of anti-CCP antibody was its typical immunological feature, and CII could be the first choice for the model of RA mice; Cit-Fib has certain immunogenicity, can partially induce the symptoms and conditions of RA arthritis in mice, and produce high-level anti-CCP antibody and anti-Cit-Fib antibody, which is more suitable for the study of citrulline-related RA; although Cit-CII has certain immunogenicity, the incidence, and severity of RA arthritis induced by Cit-CII in mice are low.

Objectives: To investigated the safety and efficacy of treating patients with acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and elevated levels of N-terminal pro-hormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with levosimendan within 24 hours of first medical contact (FMC). Methods: This multicenter, open-label, block-randomized controlled trial (NCT03189901) investigated the safety and efficacy of levosimendan as an early management strategy of acute heart failure (EMS-AHF) for patients with NSTEMI and high NT-proBNP levels. This study included 255 patients with NSTEMI and elevated NT-proBNP levels, including 142 males and 113 females with a median age of 65 (58-70) years, and were admitted in the emergency or outpatient departments at 14 medical centers in China between October 2017 and October 2021. The patients were randomly divided into a levosimendan group (n=129) and a control group (n=126). The primary outcome measure was NT-proBNP levels on day 3 of treatment and changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline on day 5 after randomization. The secondary outcome measures included the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in NT-proBNP levels from baseline, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during hospitalization and at 6 months after hospitalization, safety during the treatment, and health economics indices. The measurement data parameters between groups were compared using the t-test or the non-parametric test. The count data parameters were compared between groups using the χ² test. Results: On day 3, the NT-proBNP levels in the levosimendan group were lower than the control group but were statistically insignificant [866 (455, 1 960) vs. 1 118 (459, 2 417) ng/L, Z=-1.25,P=0.21]. However, on day 5, changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline in the levosimendan group were significantly higher than the control group [67.6% (33.8%,82.5%)vs.54.8% (7.3%,77.9%), Z=-2.14, P=0.03]. There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in the NT-proBNP levels on day 5 between the levosimendan and the control groups [77.5% (100/129) vs. 69.0% (87/126), χ²=2.34, P=0.13]. Furthermore, incidences of MACE did not show any significant differences between the two groups during hospitalization [4.7% (6/129) vs. 7.1% (9/126), χ²=0.72, P=0.40] and at 6 months [14.7% (19/129) vs. 12.7% (16/126), χ²=0.22, P=0.64]. Four cardiac deaths were reported in the control group during hospitalization [0 (0/129) vs. 3.2% (4/126), P=0.06]. However, 6-month survival rates were comparable between the two groups (log-rank test, P=0.18). Moreover, adverse events or serious adverse events such as shock, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia were not reported in both the groups during levosimendan treatment (days 0-1). The total cost of hospitalization [34 591.00(15 527.46,59 324.80) vs. 37 144.65(16 066.90,63 919.00)yuan, Z=-0.26, P=0.80] and the total length of hospitalization [9 (8, 12) vs. 10 (7, 13) days, Z=0.72, P=0.72] were lower for patients in the levosimendan group compared to those in the control group, but did not show statistically significant differences. Conclusions: Early administration of levosimendan reduced NT-proBNP levels in NSTEMI patients with elevated NT-proBNP and did not increase the total cost and length of hospitalization, but did not significantly improve MACE during hospitalization or at 6 months.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Simendan/therapeutic use* ; Non-ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Peptide Fragments ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Biomarkers ; Prognosis

Objective To investigate the effect of glucocorticoids on the prognosis and inflammatory markers of patients with acute severe pancreatitis(SAP).Methods A retrospective collection was performed for SAP patients diagnosed and treated in the Department of General Hepatobiliary Surgery,the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to January 2023.SAP patients were divided into GC group and non-GC(NGC)group according to whether they used glucocorticoids(GC)or not.The two groups were compared with general data,inflammatory markers[neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),monocyte-lymphocyte ratio(MLR),platelet-lymphocyte ratio(PLR),systemic inflammatory index(SII)and C-reactive protein-albumin ratio(CAR)],clinical events[continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT),vasoactive drugs,ICU stay,total length of stay and survival)],and complications(organ failure,electrolyte imbalances,gastrointestinal bleeding and infection).Kaplan-Meier curve analysis of the relationship between GC and death in SAP patients.Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between GC and death and organ failure.Results A total of 84 patients with SAP,40 in the GC group and 44 in the NGC group were included in the study.After treatment,NLR,MLR,PLR,SII and CAR in the GC group were significantly lower than those in the NGC group(P<0.05).There were no statistically significant differences between the GC and NGC groups in CRRT treatment,vasoactive drug use,surgery,ICU stay,total length of stay,electrolyte imbalance,gastrointestinal bleeding,pancreatic pseudocyst,abscess formation,pancreatic encephalopathy,and infectious complications(P>0.05);The mortality rate and organ failure incidence of patients in the GC group were significantly lower than those in the NGC group(P<0.05).The results of multivariate regression showed that the use of GC was an independent protective factor for death[OR=0.243,95% CI(0.062,0.948),P=0.042]and organ failure[OR=0.401,95% CI(0.165,0.976),P=0.044]in SAP patients.Conclusion GC can reduce the mortality rate and organ failure rate of SAP patients without increasing the incidence of additional complications,and has a high safety profile.

Anxiety/epidemiology* ; Depression/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Sleep ; Sleep Quality ; Students ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

Pulmonary hypertension ( PH) is occult, with no distinctive clinical manifestations and poor prognosis.Pulmonary vascular remodelling is an important pathological feature in which pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell ( PASMCs) pheno- typic switching plays a crucial role.MicroRNA (miRNA) is a class of evolutionary highly conserved single-stranded small non-coding RNA.Recently, an increasing number of scholars have found that miRNA can play an important role in the occurrence and development of PH by regulating the phenotypic switching of PASMCs, which is expected to be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of PH.It has been found that miR NA such as miR-221 , miR-24, miR-15b, miR-96, miR-23a.miR-9, miR-214, miR-20a can promote the phenotypic switching of PASMCs, while miRNA such as miR-21, miR-132, miR-182, miR-449, miR-206 .miR-124, miR-30c, miR-140.miR-17-92 cluster can inhibit it.This article aims to review the research progress on miRNA that mediates PASMCs phenotypic switching in PH from both growth factor-related miRNA and hy- poxia-related miRNA.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the overview of thrombosis in myeloproliferative neoplasms(MPN) patients, and to explore the risk factors of thrombosis at diagnosis and during follow-up. METHODS: The clinical data of 388 MPN patients treated in our hospital were collected. The patients were followed up by outpatient and phone. The risk factors of thrombosis were analyzed by statistical methods. RESULTS: Among 388 MPN patients, 161 patients (41.49%) showed thromboses at diagnosis or during follow-up. Among them, 92.55% were arterial thromboses, 146 cases (96.27%) were complicated with thromboses at diagnosis, and 36 cases (11.46%) showed newly thromboses or progression of previous thromboses among the 314 received full follow-up patients. Age (P＜0.001, HR:1.033, 95%CI:1.016-1.051), JAK2V617F mutation (P=0.037, HR:1.72, 95%CI: 1.033-2.862), hypertension (P＜0.001, HR:2.639, 95%CI:1.659-4.197) and hyperlipidemia (P＜0.001, HR:2.659, 95%CI:1.626-4.347) were the independent risk factors affecting thrombosis at diagnosis of the patients. During the follow-up, age (P=0.016, HR:1.032, 95%CI: 1.006-1.059) and previous thrombosis history (P=0.019, HR:2.194, 95%CI: 1.135-4.242) were the independent risk factors affecting the progression of thrombosis at different sites or on the basis of the previous thrombosis in the patients. CONCLUSION Patients with advanced age, JAK2V617F mutation or complicated with hypertension and hyperlipidemia shows a higher risk of thrombosis at diagnosis, while the patients with advanced age or previous thrombosis history shows a higher risk of progression of thrombosis during the follow-up.
Humans ; Myeloproliferative Disorders/genetics* ; Neoplasms ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis

Shengxiantang， one of the classical traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） prescriptions， was developed by ZHANG Xi-chun， a well-known doctor in the Republic of China， to treat the syndrome of pectoral Qi sinking. Due to the unique herbal composition， this prescription has yielded remarkable outcomes， and it is still widely used for dealing with diseases of various systems. This paper reviewed the clinical research concerning Shengxiantang in order to provide reference for its clinical application. Following the retrieval of related articles published in the past ten years from China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform， Chongqing Weipu Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals （VIP）， and Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System （SinoMed） with the Chinese key words of “Shengxiantang （升陷汤）”， “sinking of pectoral Qi （大气下陷）”， “replenishing Qi and raising the sinking （益气升陷）”， and“pectoral Qi theory （大气理论）”， this paper collated the clinical application experience of Shengxiantang. To be specific， the corresponding etiology and pathogenesis， interpretations of Shengxiantang， as well as its indications， application experience and precautions were summarized to provide a basis for its further research and application. Based on the collected more than 50 representative articles， it was found that Shengxiantang has been extensively utilized for treating complex and critical diseases of various systems， especially the circulatory and respiratory diseases and organ prolapse. The research on the clinical application of Shengxiantang has deepened， exhibiting a promising development trend， which will provide new ideas for its clinical application.

Pinellia ternata is a medicinal herb of Araceae, and its tubers are used as medicines. It is a common Chinese herbal medicine in China and has a large market demand. When exposing to strong light intensity and high temperature during the growth process, P. ternata withers in a phenomenon known as "sprout tumble", which largely limits tuber production. Shade can effectively delay sprout tumble formation and increase its yield, however the relevant regulation mechanism is unclear. DNA methylation, as a self-modifying response to environmental changes, is often involved in the regulation of plant growth and development. In this study, P. ternata grown under natural light and 90% shading were selected as the control group and the experimental group for genomic DNA methylation analysis by using methylate sensitive amplification polymorphism(MSAP). The results showed that a total of 617 loci were detected with 20 pairs of primers, of which 311 were in the natural light group and 306 in the shading group. The methylation sites in the light and shading groups accounted for 58.2% and 71.57%, respectively, and the methylation ratios in the methylation sites were 27.65% and 29.41%, respectively, indicating that shading significantly induced the genome DNA methylation of P. ternata. Compared to the natural light group, shading promoted 32.51% of the genes methylation, while inducing 16.25% gene demethylation. This study reveals the DNA methylation variation of P. ternata under shading conditions, which lays a preliminary theoretical foundation for further analysis of the mechanism of shading regulation of P. ternata growth from epigenetic level.
China ; DNA Methylation ; Darkness ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Pinellia/radiation effects* ; Plants, Medicinal/radiation effects* ; Sunlight