OBJECTIVE: To observe the early interventions of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on the conversion time of nucleic acid in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and find possible underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 300 confirmed COVID-19 patients who were treated with TCM, at a designated hospital in China. The patients were categorized into three groups: TCM1, TCM2 and TCM3, who respectively received TCM interventions within 7, 8-14, and greater than 15 days of hospitalization. Different indicators such as the conversion time of pharyngeal swab nucleic acid, the conversion time of fecal nucleic acid, length of hospital stay, and inflammatory markers (leukocyte count, and lymphocyte count and percentage) were analyzed to observe the impact of early TCM interventions on these groups. RESULTS: The median conversion times of pharyngeal swab nucleic acid in the three groups were 5.5, 7 and 16 d (P < 0.001), with TCM1 and TCM2 being statistically different from TCM3 (P < 0.01). TCM1 (P < 0.05) and TCM3 (P < 0.01) were statistically different from TCM2. The median conversion times of fecal nucleic acid in the three groups were 7, 9 and 17 d (P < 0.001). Conversion times of fecal nucleic acid in TCM1 were statistically different from TCM3 and TCM2 (P < 0.01). The median lengths of hospital stay in the three groups were 13, 16 and 21 d (P < 0.001). TCM1 and TCM2 were statistically different from TCM3 (P < 0.01); TCM1 and TCM3 were statistically different from TCM2 (P < 0.01). Both leucocyte and lymphocyte counts increased gradually with an increase in the length of hospital stay in TCM1 group patients, with a statistically significant difference observed at each time point in the group (P < 0.001). Statistically significant differences in lymphocyte count and percentage in TCM2 (P < 0.001), and in leucocyte count (P = 0.043) and lymphocyte count (P = 0.038) in TCM3 were observed. The comparison among the three groups showed a statistically significant difference in lymphocyte percentage on the third day of admission (P = 0.044). CONCLUSION In this study, it was observed that in COVID-19 patients treated with a combination of Chinese and Western medicines, TCM intervention earlier in the hospital stay correlated with faster conversion time of pharyngeal swab and fecal nucleic acid, as well as shorter length of hospital stay, thus helping promote faster recovery of the patient. The underlying mechanism of action may be related to improving inflammation in patients with COVID-19.
Adult ; Aged ; COVID-19/drug therapy* ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; SARS-CoV-2

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Methods The clinical data of CLL patients receiving fludarabine,cyclophosphamide±rituximab (with or without rituximab) regimen or cyclophosphamide,vincristine,and prednisone±doxorubicin±rituximab regimen in our hospital from March 2000 to February 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Therapeutic efficacies and survivals of patients treated with different regimens were evaluated and compared. Results The complete response (CR) rate and the overall response rate (ORR) in 72 patients (43.6%) treated with rituximab were significantly higher than those treated without rituximab (38.9% vs. 21.5%,P=0.015;83.3% vs. 60.2%,P=0.001). The median PFS and OS for patients treated with rituximab were 53.0 (27.0-79.0) months and 112.0 (81.1-142.9) months,and the median PFS and OS for patients treated without rituximab were 28.0 (18.3-37.7) months and 89.0(72.0-106.0),but the results were not statistically significant (P=0.094,P=0.109). According to the cytogenetic features,patients were further divided into high-risk subgroup (with chromosome 17p deletion or 11q deletion) and non-high-risk subgroup. And in the high-risk subgroup,the ORR of patients treated with rituximab was 86.4%,which was significantly higher than that in patients treated without rituximab (53.3%)(P=0.012);in the non-high-risk subgroup,the PFS was marginally prolonged in patients treated with rituximab,but the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.050). Conclusions Compared with traditional chemotherapy,the chemoimmunotherapies with rituximab result in higher CR rate and ORR in CLL patients. In patients without 17p deletion or 11q deletion,the use of rituximab can marginally prolong PFS.

AIM: To measure the macular thickness of normal young people by 3D 1000 optical coherence tomography (OCT) and study the repeatability of measuring results and the relationship between the thicknesses of macular and gender. At the same time, to compare our result with the data of other types of OCT, and to understand the consistency of the measuring results of macular thickness of different types of OCT.
METHODS: Totally 222 eyes in 111 young people were detected using 3D scan mode of Topcon 3D OCT 1000 (ver 2.4 ) . Twelve cases ( 24 eyes ) underwent repeatability check. We took transverse comparison between our measured results with other research's results.
RESULTS: There were 111 cases of young people, whose age were from 18-27 years old, all uncorrected and corrected visual acuity were≥1. 0, all intraocular pressure were <21mmHg. The average thickness of all macular region was 273. 32±17.08μm. Retinal volume of macular area was 7. 73 ± 0.37mm3 . Center thickness was 161 -264μm, and the average thickness was 200. 13±18. 81μm. Central macular thickness were 188 - 273μm, and the average thickness was 229. 00 ± 18. 20μm. The central macular thickness in men was significantly greater than that in women, and there was statistical difference. The results of repeated check of 12 cases ( 24 eyes ) in the macular area were no statistical difference except the outer ring of nasal quadrant, and the repeatability of average thickness in central macular thickness was better than in center thickness.
CONCLUSION:The repeatability of macular examination is good. The central macular thickness can be better repeated than the center thickness. The central macular thickness is 229. 00±18. 20μm in young people, according to the 3D 1000 OCT measurements. There are statistical difference of central macular thickness between different genders.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of comprehensive control and prevention for chronic diseases in demonstration plot of Chongqing.

METHODSResidents were enrolled through multi-stage stratified random sampling method from 17 districts or counties which had successfully established demonstration plots and 21 districts or counties which had not established demonstration plots (non-demonstration plot for short) yet on May, 2012. Questionnaire was designed to survey awareness of health knowledge, health behaviors and utilization of health supportive tools. The results were analyzed by SPSS 15.0 software.

RESULTSWe investigated 15 108 residents, 6156 of which were in demonstration plot and others (8951) were not. The findings revealed the percentage of the people who were aware the national action of health lifestyle in demonstration plot and in non-demonstration plot were 44.4% (2734/6157) and 40.2% (3598/8951), respectively, and the awareness of the hypertension risk of too much sodium were 72.4% (4458/6156) and 67.5% (6042/8951), respectively, and the awareness of the cardinal vascular disease (CVD) risk of obesity and overweight were 77.2% (4753/6157) and 69.6% (6230/8951), respectively. About the residents' health behaviors in demonstration plot and in non-demonstration plot, the utilization rates of salt restriction scoop or pot were 23.5% (1447/6157) and 17.9% (1602/8951), and the utilization rates of oil restriction pot were 16.7% (1028/6157) and 11.8% (1064/8951), respectively. Totally, 33 of the 37 indexes were shown higher in demonstration plot than that in non-demonstration plot (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe chronic diseases comprehensive control and prevention in demonstration plot was more effective, and the remarkable improvement of health knowledge and behaviors level had been achieved in demonstration plot.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Chronic Disease ; prevention & control ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universal Precautions ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the short-term outcomes of surgical treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open thoracotomy (OT).

METHODSData of 737 consecutive NSCLC patients who underwent surgical treatment for non-small cell lung cancer by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and 630 patients who underwent pulmonary resection via open thoracotomy (as controls) in Cancer Institute & Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 2009 and August 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. The risk factors after lobectomy were also analyzed.

RESULTSIn the 506 NSCLC patients who received VATS lobectomy, postoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (2.6%) and one patient died of acute respiratory distress syndrome (0.2%). In the 521 patients who received open thoracotomy (OT) lobectomy, postoperative complications occurred in 21 patients (4.0%) and one patient died of pulmonary infection (0.2%). There was no significant difference in the morbidity rate (P > 0.05) and mortality rate (P > 0.05) between the VATS group and OT group. In the 190 patients who received VATS wedge resections, postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients (1.6%). One hundred and nine patients received OT wedge resections. Postoperative complications occurred in 4 patients (3.7%). There were no significant differences for morbidity rate (P = 0.262) between these two groups, and there was no perioperative death in these two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that age (OR = 1.047, 95%CI: 1.004 - 1.091), history of smoking (OR = 6.374, 95%CI: 2.588 - 15.695) and operation time (OR = 1.418, 95%CI: 1.075 - 1.871) were independent risk factors of postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONSTo compare with the NSCLC patients who should undergo lobectomy or wedge resection via open thoracotomy, a similar short-term outcome can be achieved via VATS approach.

Age Factors ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Lung Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Operative Time ; Pneumonectomy ; adverse effects ; classification ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Smoking ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; adverse effects ; Thoracotomy ; adverse effects ; methods

OBJECTIVETo identify DUOX2 gene mutation in patients with congenital goiter with hypothyroidism.

METHODFive patients who had transit congenital hypothyroidism with goiter were enrolled. The exons of DUOX2 gene were amplified and sequenced.

RESULTA heterozygous missense mutation C1329T in the exon 10 of the DUOX2 gene was found in one patient, predicted to result in a Tryptophan to Arginine substitution at codon 376. However no mutation was detected in the other patients.

CONCLUSIONp.Arg376Trp mutation in DUOX2 was found in newborns of congenital hypothyroidism. The alleles frequency of this mutation may contribute to the function loss of congenital hypothyroidism.

Child, Preschool ; Congenital Hypothyroidism ; complications ; genetics ; Dual Oxidases ; Exons ; Female ; Goiter ; complications ; congenital ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mutation ; NADPH Oxidases ; genetics

BACKGROUNDNeovascularization can cause vision loss in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and may be affected by many factors. Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a potent stimulator of angiogenesis. The study was aimed to investigate the expression of SDF-1 and its correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the eyes with diabetic retinopathy.

METHODSThe levels of SDF-1 and VEGF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the vitreous of 41 eyes of 41 patients with PDR and 12 eyes of 12 patients with idiopathic macular hole (IMH). Vitreous fluid samples and fibrovascular preretinal membranes were obtained at vitrectomy. SDF-1 and VEGF were localized using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe vitreous concentration of VEGF was significantly higher in eyes with PDR ((2143.7 +/- 1685.21) pg/ml) than in eyes with IMH ((142.42 +/- 72.83) pg/ml, P < 0.001). The vitreous level of SDF-1 was also significantly higher in eyes with PDR ((306.37 +/- 134.25) pg/ml) than in eyes with IMH ((86.91 +/- 55.05) pg/ml, P < 0.001). The concentrations of both VEGF and SDF-1 were higher in eyes with active PDR than in eyes with inactive PDR. Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) could decrease the SDF-1 levels in the vitreous of PDR patients. The vitreous concentration of SDF-1 correlated with that of VEGF in eyes with PDR (r = 0.61, P < 0.001). The costaining of SDF-1 and VEGF was confined to the vascular components in preretinal membranes.

CONCLUSIONSSDF-1 protein is highly expressed in both the vitreous and preretinal membranes of PDR patients; SDF-1 may be correlated with VEGF in angiogenesis in PDR.

Chemokine CXCL12 ; metabolism ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Retinal Perforations ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Body ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the possible role of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma.

METHODSImmunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin proteins in 65 sporadic colorectal tubular adenomas with dysplasia of varying degrees and 22 colorectal tubular adenoma with cancerous area.

RESULTSIn normal colorectal mucosa, colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia and colorectal tubular adenoma with cancerous area, the positive rate of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin expression was increased gradually. The positive expression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin was all significantly higher in the cases of colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia or with cancerous area than that in normal colorectal mucosa (P < 0.05), and the positive expression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin was significantly higher in colorectal tubular adenoma with cancerous area than that in colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia of different degrees (P < 0.05). In the cases of colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia of varying degrees, the positive expression of Raf-1 was increased along with the increasing dysplasia degree of colorectal tubular adenoma (P < 0.05). Coexpression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin increased gradually in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma, while positive correlation was found among the expressions of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin.

CONCLUSIONJNK1, Raf-1 and Livin may be involved in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; metabolism ; Adenoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Carcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Precancerous Conditions ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effects of amiodarone and metoprolol, either alone or in combination, on chronic heart failure (CHF) complicated by ventricular arrhythmia.

METHODSA total of 110 NYHA class II-III patients with CHF complicated by ventricular arrhythmia were randomly divided into amiodarone group, metoprolol group and amiodarone + metoprolol group. The therapeutic effects was evaluated at the end of the 1-year follow-up.

RESULTSAmiodarone, metoprolol and their combination produced statistically different therapeutic effects (P<0.05). Compared with amiodarone and metoprolol used alone, amiodarone combined with metoprolol resulted in significant cardiac function improvement (P<0.05) and ventricular arrhythmia control (P<0.01). During the 1-year follow-up, the readmission rate and cardiac event rate in the amiodarone + metoprolol group were significantly lower than those in amiodarone group (P<0.01) and metoprolol group (P<0.05). The adverse reaction rates in the 3 groups were similar (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combination of amiodarone and metoprolol produces better effect than amiodarone or metoprolol alone in the treatment of CHF complicated by ventricular arrhythmia.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Amiodarone ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; therapeutic use ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Heart Failure ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Metoprolol ; therapeutic use ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; drug therapy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Ventricular Premature Complexes ; drug therapy ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) combined with transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis of mediastinal and pulmonary hilar lesions as well as in the lymph node staging (N staging) of lung cancer.

METHODS129 patients with mediastinal and pulmonary hilar lesions underwent either TBNA or EUS-FNA with cytological needle aspiration. The samples obtained from TBNA or EUS-FNA were examined by both cytologiy and histopathology.

RESULTSOf the 129 patients, 59 underwent TBNA and 70 EUS-FNA. The diagnostic rate were 84.7% (50/59) by TBNA and 94.3% (66/70) by EUS-FNA, resepectively. The diagnosis of 116 (89.9%) patients were confirmed by either TBNA or EUS-FNA. The pathological and cytological diagnostic rates were 92.2% (107/116) and 88.0% (102/116), resepectively. The diagnostic rate was elevated by 8.4% (9/107) through pathological examination. The histological classification rates by cytological and pathological examination were 73.8% (76/116) and 89.3% (92/103), respectively. The diagnostic rate of histological classification was elevated by 35.5% (27/76) through pathological examination.

CONCLUSIONThe combination of TBNA and EUS-FNA can improve the diagnostic rate for wider mediastinal and pulmlonary hilar lesions. Pathological examination of the samples obtained from the TBNA and EUS-FNA can elevate not only the rate of diagnosis but also the rate of histological classification.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; methods ; Biopsy, Needle ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Endosonography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; secondary ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Young Adult