Objective To study the changes of tinnitus after cochlear implantation in post-lingual adault recip-ients and analyze the factors that affect tinnitus.Methods A total of 47 postilingually-deafened adult subjects with tinnitus who underwent cochlear implantation at the Department of Otology,the first affiliated hospital of Zheng-zhou University,from January 2017 to December 2021.The subjects were evaluated using tinnitus handicap invento-ry(THI)and visual analogue scale(VAS)before cochlear implantation and 6 months after cochlear implant surger-y.Results Among 47 subjects who were eligible for this study,the THI scores were 36.94±13.337,14.48± 12.726,respectively,before CI and 6 months after cochlear implantation.The VAS scores were 5.13±1.676 be-fore and 2.34±1.903 after cochlear tmplantation.Statistical analysis showed significant differences in THI and VAS scores before and after cochlear implantation(P＜0.05).A total of 18 patients experienced complete tinnitus suppression,14 patients experienced alleviation of tinnitus,tinnitus remained unchanged in 13 patients,tinnitus worsened in 2 patients,and the overall efficiency was 66.0％(31/47).The tinnitus alleviation rate was signifant higher in the patients with tinnitus history of ≤5 years than the patients with tinnitus history of＞5 years(P＜0.05).There was a statistically significant difference in tinnitus alleviation between the patients with mild tinnitus and the patients with more than mild tinnitus before surgery(P＜0.001).Conclusion Cochlear implantation has an inhibitory effect on tinnitus in adults.Patients with shorter duration of the tinnitus and higher tinnitus handicap are more likely to experience tinnitus improvement after cochlear implantation.

To explore the impact of an airway stepwise management strategy in the treatment of hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP) in the ultra elderly critically ill patients.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of 130 children with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection in Yunnan province after the relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, and analyze the risk factors for mortality.Methods:This study is a retrospective case summary that analyzed the demographic data, underlying diseases, clinical diagnoses, disease outcomes, and laboratory results of 130 children with severe COVID-19 infections admitted to nine top-tier hospitals in Yunnan Province from December 2022 to March 2023. According to the prognosis, the patients were divided into survival group and death group. The clinical and laboratory data between the two groups were compared, and the risk factors of death were evaluated. The χ2 test and Mann-Whitney U test were employed to compare between groups, while Spearman correlation test and multiple Logistic regression were used to analyze the risk factors for death. The predictive value of independent risk factors was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve. Results:The 130 severe patients included 80 males and 50 females with an onset age of 28.0 (4.5, 79.5) months. There were 97 cases in the survival group and 33 cases in the death group with no significant differences in gender and age between the two groups ( P>0.05). Twenty-five cases (19.2%) out of the 130 patients had underlying diseases, and the number with underlying diseases was significantly higher in death group than in survival group (36.4% (12/33) vs. 13.4%(13/97), χ2=8.36, P=0.004). The vaccination rate in the survival group was significantly higher than that in the death group (86.1% (31/36) vs. 7/17, χ2=9.38, P=0.002). A total of 42 cases (32.3%) of the 130 patients were detected to be infected with other pathogens, but there was no significant difference in the incidence of co-infection between the death group and the survival group (39.3%(13/33) vs. 29.9% (29/97), χ2=1.02, P>0.05). Among the 130 cases, severe respiratory cases were the most common 66 cases (50.8%), followed by neurological severe illnesses 34 cases (26.2%) and circulatory severe 13 cases (10%). Compared to the survival group, patients in the death group had a significantly higher levels of neutrophil, ferritin, procalcitonin, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase isoenzyme, B-type natriuretic peptide, interleukin-6 and 10 (6.7 (4.0, 14.0) vs. 3.0 (1.6, 7.0)×10 9/L, 479 (298, 594) vs. 268 (124, 424) μg/L, 4.8 (1.7, 10.6) vs. 2.0 (1.1, 3.1) μg/L, 66 (20, 258) vs. 23 (15, 49) U/L, 464 (311, 815) vs. 304 (252, 388) g/L, 71(52, 110) vs. 24(15, 48) U/L, 484 (160, 804) vs. 154 (26, 440) ng/L, 43 (23, 102) vs. 19 (13, 27) ng/L, 216 (114, 318) vs. 86 (45, 128) ng/L, Z=-4.21, -3.67, -3.76, -3.31, -3.75, -5.74, -3.55, -4.65, -5.86, all P<0.05). The correlated indexes were performed by multivariate Logistic regression and the results showed that vaccination was a protective factor from death in severe cases ( OR=0.01, 95% CI 0-0.97, P=0.049) while pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (PSOFA) ( OR=3.31, 95% CI 1.47-7.47, P=0.004), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ( OR=1.56, 95% CI 1.05-2.32, P=0.029) and D dimer ( OR=1.49, 95% CI 1.00-1.02, P=0.033) were independent risk factors for death (all P<0.05). The area under the curve of the three independent risk factors for predicting death were 0.86 (95% CI 0.79-0.94), 0.89 (95% CI 0.84-0.95) and 0.87 (95% CI 0.80-0.94), all P<0.001, and the cut-off values were 4.50, 3.66 and 4.69 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions:Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection can occur in children of all ages, primarily affecting the respiratory system, but can also infect the nervous system, circulatory system or other systems. Children who died had more severe inflammation, tissue damage and coagulation disorders. The elevations of PSOFA, NLR and D dimer were independent risk factors for death in severe children.

Objective To investigate a reasonable threshold of total bilirubin for the diagnosis of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF), and to realize accurate early diagnosis. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 1232 patients with HBV-ACLF who were admitted to The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from September 2008 to September 2018, and according to the baseline serum level of total bilirubin (TBil), the patients were divided into group A (TBil < 205.2 μmol/L) and group B (TBil ≥205.2 μmol/L). the two groups were compared in terms of clinical features and 28-day, 90-day, 1-year, and 3-year survival. The t -test or the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival rate, and the log-rank test was used for comparison. Results There were significant differences between the two groups in age( t =3.188, P =0.001) male sex( χ 2 =33.833, P < 0.001), liver failure classification( χ 2 =39.987, P < 0.001), white blood cell count( Z =6.586, P < 0.001), hemoglobin( Z =4.272, P < 0.001), platelet count( Z =3.680, P < 0.001), creatinine( Z =4.505, P < 0.001), total cholesterol( Z =8.644, P < 0.001), Na( Z =2.335, P =0.020), albumin( Z =2.592, P =0.010), HBV DNA( Z =3.703, P < 0.001), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score( Z =11.828, P < 0.001), and MELD-Na score( Z =8.410, P < 0.001). At baseline, there were significant differences in the incidence rates of ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding between the two groups ( χ 2 =12.036、4.342, P < 0.05). Infection was the most common new-onset complication within 28 days, followed by hepatic encephalopathy, and there was a significant difference in the incidence rate of infection between the two groups ( χ 2 =5.294, P < 0.05). The 28-day transplant-free mortality rate was 21.2% in group A and 29.5% in group B( HR =1.473[95% CI : 1.151~1.886], P =0.005), which was consistent with the clinical feature of a high short-term mortality rate (> 15%) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Although there was a difference in long-term mortality rate between the two groups, there was no significant increase in transplant-free mortality rate after 90 days in either group. Conclusion Under the premise of international normalized ratio ≥1.5, it is not recommended to increase the threshold of TBil to 205.2 μmol/L in the diagnostic criteria for HBV-ACLF, so as to ensure the early diagnosis of more ACLF patients and bring more opportunities for treatment and cure.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) in children.Methods:The clinical data and follow-up information of 41 pediatric patients with ANE treated in Wuhan Children′s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology from January 2014 to September 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.Results:The 41 patients included 23 males and 18 females with the onset age of (4.4±3.2) years.The main prodromal symptoms were gastrointestinal (20/41 cases, 48.8%) and respiratory infections (19/41 cases, 46.3%). Acute encephalopathy progressed rapidly following the prodromal infection [29 cases (70.7%) ≤2 days], and patients had clinical manifestations of coma (32/41 cases, 78.0%), convulsion (32/41 cases, 78.0%), multiple organ dysfunction (27/41 cases, 65.9%), shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation were rarely occured, and 28 cases (68.3%) were admitted to intensive care unit for treatment.Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed lesion involving thalamus (41/41 cases, 100.0%), periventricular white matter (34/41 cases, 82.9%), brainstem (31/41 cases, 75.6%), basal ganglia (26/41 cases, 63.4%), cerebral cortex and subcortex (20/41 cases, 48.8%) and cerebellum (18/41 cases, 43.9%). The common presentations on the apparent diffusion coefficient mapping of brain MRI were " tricolor pattern" or " bicolor pattern" of the thalamus.During follow-up (≥ 6 months), MRI showed that hemorrhage, cystic degeneration and atrophy changed dynamically with the progression of ANE.All cases were treated with glucocorticoids, 38 cases(92.7%) with intravenous immune globulin.Seven cases (17.1%) were died and the 34 survivors had different degrees of neurological dysfunction.Conclusions:ANE in children is a distinctive type of clinicoradiologic syndrome with rapid progression and various presentations.Brain MRI has typical imaging characteristics and dynamically indicates the progression of this disease.The treatment options are still limited, the prognosis is poor and the survivors are often with neurological dysfunction.

Objective:To analyze the effect of CD100 to monocyte cytotoxicity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.Methods:Thirty-five NSCLC patients and thirteen healthy controls were included from Zhengzhou Central Hospital between March 2018 and September 2018. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (both tumor site and non-tumor site) was collected from NSCLC patients, while PBMC was collected from healthy controls. Monocytes were purified from PBMC and BALF. Membrane-bound CD100 (mCD100) and CD72 expression on monocytes was measured by flow cytometry. Monocytes from NSCLC patients were stimulated with recombinant human CD100, anti-CD72, matrix metalloproteinase 14(MMP14), or anti-CD100, and were co-cultured with NCI-H1882 cells for 48 h. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), granzyme A, granzyme B level in the supernatants, CD16 expression on monocytes, and percentage of target cell death was assessed. Student t test or paired t test was used for comparison. Results:There were no significant differences of peripheral CD14 + mCD100 + percentage, CD14 + CD72 + percentage, CD100 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), CD72 MFI between NSCLC patients and healthy controls ( P>0.05). CD14 + mCD100 + percentage, CD14 + CD72 + percentage, CD100 MFI, CD72 MFI was remarkably elevated in tumor site compared with in non-tumor site in NSCLC patients ( P<0.05). There was no remarkable difference of peripheral monocytes-induced NCI-H1882 cell death between NSCLC group and control group [(13.95±3.16)% vs (13.22±2.40)%, P=0.451]. Lung-resident monocytes-induced NCI-H1882 cell death was reduced in tumor site when compared with non-tumor site [(11.61±2.81)% vs (14.19±3.57)%, P=0.008 7]. TNF-α, IL-1β, granzyme A, granzyme B level was also decreased in the supernatants of monocytes from tumor site compared with non-tumor site in NSCLC patients( P<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference of CD16 level between two groups( P=0.666). Recombinant human CD100 stimulation promoted NCI-H1882 cell death induced by monocytes from tumor site when compared with unstimulated cells ( P<0.000 1). TNF-α, IL-1β, granzyme A, granzyme B level was also increased ( P<0.05). However, Monocytes, which were pretreated with anti-CD72, induced decreased NCI-H1882 cell death and TNF-α, IL-1β, granzyme A, granzyme B secretion in response to recombinant human CD100 stimulation ( P<0.05). Recombinant human MMP14 stimulation decreased CD14 + mCD100 + percentage and increased soluble CD100 (sCD100) level. NCI-H1882 cell death and TNF-α, IL-1β, granzyme A, granzyme B level was elevated when compared with unstimulated cells ( P<0.05). Anti-CD100 administration decreased sCD100 level. NCI-H1882 cell death and TNF-α, IL-1β, granzyme A, granzyme B level was elevated when compared with MMP14 stimulated cells ( P<0.05). Conclusions:CD100 shedding was insufficient in tumor infiltrating monocytes in NSCLC patients, leading to decreased cytotoxicity. MMP14 might elevate cytotoxicity of tumor infiltrating monocytes via promoting CD100 shedding and sCD100 formation.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and prognostic influencing factors of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).Methods:A retrospective observational study was conducted. From January 2008 to March 2019, a total of 46 TEN patients who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital. The gender, age, and hospital admission diagnosis of the 46 patients, the category of department admitted of patients complicated with sepsis, death ratio of the sepsis patients with or without treatment history in intensive care unit (ICU)/department of burns and wound repair, and the cause of death of the deceased patients were recorded. Depending on whether complicated with sepsis, the patients were divided into sepsis group (32 cases) and non-sepsis group (14 cases). According to whether died or not, the patients were divided into death group (9 cases) and survival group (37 cases). The specific conditions of suspected pathogenic agents and combined underlying diseases, the abnormality of transaminase/bilirubin, creatinine, and platelet count in blood on admission, and the detection of pathogenic microorganisms and drug resistance during the course of disease of patients were recorded in both sepsis group and non-sepsis group. The gender, age, lesion area, severity of illness score for TEN (SCORTEN) system score, combined underlying diseases on admission, and blood microbial culture positivity, hormone use, and gamma globulin use during the course of disease of patients between sepsis group and non-sepsis group, death group and survival group were compared respectively. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test, Fisher's exact probability test, and Mann-Whitney U test. The factors with statistically significant differences between sepsis group and non-sepsis group, death group and survival group were selected for binary multivariate logistic regression analysis, so as to screen the independent risk factors affecting sepsis and death in TEN patients. Results:Of the 46 TEN patients, 30 were male and 16 were female, aged from 8 months to 92.0 years, with 11 cases (23.91%) of epidermolysis bullosa, 9 cases (19.57%) of exfoliative dermatitis, 9 cases (19.57%) of TEN, 7 cases (15.22%) of epidermolysis bullosa, 6 cases (13.04%) of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and 4 cases (8.70%) of severe drug rash for hospital admission diagnosis. The patients complicated with sepsis were admitted to 11 departments, and the death ratio of patients with treatment history in ICU/department of burns and wound repair was similar to that of patients without such department treatment history ( P>0.05). All the deceased patients were complicated with sepsis, which was also the main cause of death. On admission, the suspected pathogenic agents of patients in sepsis group were mainly allopurinol (8 cases) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (4 cases), while those in non-sepsis group were allopurinol (3 cases) and psychotropic drugs (3 cases). Patients in sepsis group combined as many as 10 underlying diseases, while those in non-sepsis group combined only 4 underlying diseases. The proportions of patients with increased creatinine ( χ2=13.349, P<0.01) and decreased platelet count ( P<0.01) in sepsis group were significantly higher than those in non-sepsis group, while the transaminase/bilirubin abnormality was similar to that in non-sepsis group ( P>0.05). A wide variety of pathogens were detected in the blood, respiratory tract secretions, and skin secretions of 21 patients in sepsis group, and 14 patients were infected with drug-resistant bacteria; among the 9 strains cultured from the blood samples, 8 were drug-resistant bacteria and 6 were Gram-positive bacteria. In non-sepsis group, pathogens were detected in blood, respiratory tract secretions, and skin secretions of 8 patients, with fewer species, and 6 patients were infected with drug-resistant bacteria. The gender, age, lesion area, blood microbial culture positivity, hormone use, and gamma globulin use of patients in sepsis group were similar to those in non-sepsis group ( P>0.05). The proportion of patients combined with underlying diseases ( χ2=4.493, P<0.05) and the proportion of patients with SCORTEN system score of 4-6 points ( P<0.01) of patients in sepsis group were significantly higher than those in non-sepsis group. The gender, combined underlying diseases, lesion area, blood microbial culture positivity, hormone use, and gamma globulin use of patients were similar between survival group and death group ( P>0.05). The proportion of patients with age≥60 years and the proportion of patients with SCORTEN system score of 4-6 points of patients in death group were significantly higher than those in survival group ( χ2=4.412, 11.627, P<0.05 or P<0.01). The SCORTEN system score was an independent risk factor affecting sepsis and death in TEN patients (odds ratio=3.025, 2.757, 95% confidence interval=1.352-6.769, 1.244-6.110, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions:The diagnosis of TEN is difficult on admission. Male population is susceptible to TEN, and allopurinol is the common pathogenic agent. The proportion of patients combined with underlying diseases is high in TEN patients complicated with sepsis, with mainly drug-resistant bacteria and mostly Gram-positive bacteria in blood-borne infections. The deceased patients are older than the survived, and the main cause of death is sepsis. The SCORTEN system score is an independent risk factor affecting sepsis and death in TEN patients.

Objective:To investigate whether laryngopharyngeal reflux(LPR) is an independent risk factor for vocal fold polyps and to analyze the potential mechanism.Methods:Case control survey was designed. Subjects who came to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from September 2018 to December 2019, including 152 cases with vocal fold polyps and 176 cases with normal vocal folds, were selected. All the subjects filled in a questionnaire and were assessed by the reflux symptom index (RSI) and the reflux finding score (RFS) scale. RSI>13 and(or) RFS>7 were classified as LPR. Chi-square test, univariate and multivariate unconditional logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis.Results:The incidence of LPR and throat clearing in vocal fold polyps group (47.37%, 73.68%) was significantly higher than that in control group (27.27%, 59.09%), with statistically significant difference ( P<0.001, P=0.005, respectively). The incidence of troublesome cough, indigestion or stomach acid coming up was no difference between the two groups( P=0.672, P=0.099). Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that LPR ( OR=1.815, 95 %CI:1.061-3.103), occupational exposure( OR=2.655, 95 %CI:1.397-5.042), spicy food( OR=1.958, 95 %CI:1.142-3.355) were risk factors for vocal fold polyps. Conclusion:LPR, occupational exposure, spicy food are independent risk factors for vocal fold polyps. Frequent throat clearing caused by LPR may be the main cause of vocal ford polyps. In order to prevent vocal fold polyps, we need to take action to treat laryngopharyngeal reflux disease actively.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of occupational high temperature exposure on type 2 diabetes( T2 DM) in male steel workers. METHODS: A cluster random sampling method was used to select 684 male steel workers,who exposed to occupational high temperature in a steel enterprise in Tangshan City,as the high temperature group,and 1 153 male steel workers without occupational high temperature exposure as the control group. The high temperature level of workers in these two groups was measured. The cumulative exposure( CE) of high temperature was calculated,and occupational health exam was performed. The multivariate logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic splines were used to analyze the relationship between high temperature CE and T2 DM. RESULTS: The prevalence of T2 DM in high-temperature group was higher than that in the control group( 13. 0% vs 7. 9%,P < 0. 05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that the risk of T2 DM in the high temperature group was higher than that in the control group after adjusting for age,body mass index,smoking,drinking,physical exercise and parents with diabetes( P < 0. 05). The 95% confidence interval was 1. 65( 1. 17-2. 33). Restricted cubic spline analysis showed that the high temperature CE was correlated with the prevalence of T2 DM in workers( P < 0. 01) and showed a linear correlation( nonlinearity test,P > 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Occupational high temperature exposure is associated with the occurrence of T2 DM in male steel workers. The male steel workers with high temperature CE show high prevalence of T2 DM risk.

PURPOSE: Several studies have shown that the oral cavity is a secondary location for Helicobacter pylori colonization and that H. pylori is associated with the severity of periodontitis. This study investigated whether H. pylori had an effect on the periodontium. We established an invasion model of a standard strain of H. pylori in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs), and evaluated the effects of H. pylori on cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. METHODS: Different concentrations of H. pylori were used to infect hPDLFs, with 6 hours of co-culture. The multiplicity of infection in the low- and high-concentration groups was 10:1 and 100:1, respectively. The Cell Counting Kit-8 method and Ki-67 immunofluorescence were used to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blots were used to detect cell cycle progression. In the high-concentration group, the invasion of H. pylori was observed by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: It was found that H. pylori invaded the fibroblasts, with cytoplasmic localization. Analyses of cell proliferation and flow cytometry showed that H. pylori inhibited the proliferation of periodontal fibroblasts by causing G2 phase arrest. The inhibition of proliferation and G2 phase arrest were more obvious in the high-concentration group. In the low-concentration group, the G2 phase regulatory factors cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and cell division cycle 25C (Cdc25C) were upregulated, while cyclin B1 was inhibited. However, in the high-concentration group, cyclin B1 was upregulated and CDK1 was inhibited. Furthermore, the deactivated states of tyrosine phosphorylation of CDK1 (CDK1-Y15) and serine phosphorylation of Cdc25C (Cdc25C-S216) were upregulated after H. pylori infection. CONCLUSIONS: In our model, H. pylori inhibited the proliferation of hPDLFs and exerted an invasive effect, causing G2 phase arrest via the Cdc25C/CDK1/cyclin B1 signaling cascade. Its inhibitory effect on proliferation was stronger in the high-concentration group.
Blotting, Western ; CDC2 Protein Kinase ; Cell Count ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; Coculture Techniques ; Colon ; Cyclin B1 ; Cytoplasm ; Fibroblasts ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; G2 Phase ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter ; Humans ; Methods ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Mouth ; Periodontal Ligament ; Periodontitis ; Periodontium ; Phosphorylation ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serine ; Tyrosine