Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.

Objective    To investigate the clinical efficacy of minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (MIILE) with reverse-puncture anastomosis. Methods    Clinical data of the patients with lower esophageal carcinoma who underwent MIILE with reverse-puncture anastomosis in our department from May 2015 to December 2020 were collected. Modified MIILE consisted of several key steps: (1) pylorus fully dissociated; (2) making gastric tube under laparoscope; (3) dissection of esophagus and thoracic lymph nodes under artificial pneumothorax with single-lumen endotracheal tube intubation in semi-prone position; (4) left lung ventilation with bronchial blocker; (5) intrathoracic anastomosis with reverse-puncture anastomosis technique. Results     Finally 248 patients were collected, including 206 males and 42 females, with a mean age of 63.3±7.4 years. All 248 patients underwent MIILE with reverse-puncture anastomosis successfully. The mean operation time was 176±35 min and estimated blood loss was 110±70 mL. The mean number of lymph nodes harvested from each patient was 24±8. The rate of lymph node metastasis was 43.1% (107/248). The pulmonary complication rate was 13.7% (34/248), including 6 patients of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Among the 6 patients, 2 patients needed endotracheal intubation-assisted respiration. Postoperative hemorrhage was observed in 5 patients and 2 of them needed hemostasis under thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation was performed in 1 patient due to the type Ⅲ chylothorax. TypeⅡ anastomotic leakage was found in 3 patients and 1 of them died of acute respiratory distress syndrome. One patient of delayed broncho-gastric fistula was cured after secondary operation. Ten patients with type Ⅰ recurrent laryngeal nerve injury were cured after conservative treatment. All patients were followe up for at least 16 months. The median follow-up time was 44 months. The 3-year survival rate was 71.8%, and the 5-year survival rate was 57.8%. Conclusion    The optimized MIILE with reverse-puncture anastomosis for the treatment of lower esophageal cancer is safe and feasible, and the long-term survival is satisfactory.

Objective:This study aims to obtain the prevalence and features associated with Violence Against Children (VAC) in China and, thus, formulate a prevention strategy.Methods:The mortality-related data of VAC was sourced from the National Disease Surveillance Points System (DSP) during 2013-2021. We analyzed the DSP data regarding children aged 0-17 years old who died from violence. The hospital cases of VAC was sourced from the National Injury Surveillance System (NISS), 2013-2021. We analyzed the data from NISS with the parameter of "intentional injury" caused by VAC in children aged between 0-17 years. Using robust linear regression, we analyze the time trend in the proportion of violence incidence. To understand the variations in the incidence of different types of violence across genders, we apply the chi-square test and adjusted Pearson residuals.Results:The overall trend of death caused by VAC has declined; it was reduced to 0.14/100 000 in 2021 from 0.33/100 000 in 2013. In 2021, male VAC mortality (0.15/100 000) was higher than females (0.13/100 000). The proportion of VAC cases to all injury cases has declined from 3.34% in 2013 to 2.29% in 2021. Among 9 344 VAC cases supervised by hospitals in 2021, the number of males (7 503 cases) was around 4 times that of females (1 841 cases), and the top three modes of violence were blunt tools (64.77%), falls (7.46%) and sharp instruments (6.18%), and 45 cases of sexual violence included 38 girls and 7 boys.Conclusions:The declining death rate due to VAC may be related to the benign development of Chinese society. Prevention strategies targeting training in parenting skills and problem-solving should be prioritized.

Chinese materia medica and its compound formulas have the characteristics of multi-component,multi-target,and multi pathway effects,and have unique advantages in preventing and treating complex diseases.Network pharmacology explains disease patterns and drug mechanisms from the perspective of complex biological networks,and explores the pharmacological substance basis and target of Chinese medicine.This article summarized the application of network pharmacology from the aspects of biological basis of TCM syndrome,the substance basis and pharmacological mechanism of TCM,compatibility theory of TCM compound formulas,etc.,with the purpose to provide a reference for the research and application of network pharmacology in TCM.

Objective:To investigate beam distribution characteristics through a phantom with conventional or extended collimators designed based on conventional collimators in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).Methods:By Monte Carlo simulation, we calculated the neutron beam distributions along the beam direction with a conventional collimator, 5 cm-extended collimator, and 10 cm-extended collimator; calculated the irradiation time and average depth using 10 cm-extended collimators with no air gap comprised of lithium fluoride (LiF)+ polyethylene or boron carbide (B 4C)+ polyethylene at different mass ratios; and calculated the irradiation time, advantage depth, and off-axis dose with conventional or extended collimators at without air gap or certain air gaps. Results:For the 10 cm-extended collimator without air gap, the thermal neutron flux density, gamma ray dose rate, and fast neutron dose rate were highest, and their peaks were 1.0×10 9 n/(cm 2·s), 5.3 cGy/min, and 9.1 cGy/min, respectively. Collimators comprised of polyethylene and LiF were superior to those of polyethylene and B4C in advantage depth and irradiation time. For five types of collimators made of polyethylene and LiF, the combination of 20 wt% polyethylene and 80 wt% LiF exhibited the greatest advantage depth (8.7 cm), but with a longer irradiation time (20.5 minutes); and the combination of 80 wt% polyethylene and 20 wt% LiF achieved the shortest irradiation time (19.0 minutes), with an advantage depth of 8.5 cm. Compared with the conventional collimator, the use of 5 cm- and 10 cm-extended collimators reduced treatment time by 26.4% and 40.3%, respectively, with small changes in advantage depth; and for the same collimator, the off-axis dose increased with the increase in the air gap. Conclusions:The use of 5 cm- and 10 cm-extended collimators can increase neutron beam intensity and reduce irradiation time, with a small impact on advantage depth and off-axis dose, which can solve the problem of prolonged treatment time caused by an air gap between patient's tumor surface and the beam aperture when head and neck movement is limited. BNCT can be equipped with appropriate extended collimators according to actual clinical needs.

Objective To develop a portable collection device of human exhaled breath condensate(EBC)based on natural breathing to meet the needs for rapid screening of human respiratory tract(especially lower respiratory tract)infections.Methods The device consisted of a refrigeration unit,a heat dissipation unit and a condensation unit.The refrigeration unit adopted a TES1-7102 thermoelectric Peltier cooler semiconductor as the refrigeration element;the heat dissipation unit was composed of a high thermal conductivity aluminum heat sink and a high-speed brushless cooling fan;the condensation unit was made up of a cold guide plate and a condenser,in which the cold guide plate was made of thin sheet of aluminum alloy,and the condenser was prepared by 3D printing technology and made of hydrophobic polylactic acid,with primary and secondary 2-stage guide grooves and an ultra-thin condensing surface.The performance of the device was verified in terms of cooling,thermal conductivity,condensation and human EBC collection and content analysis.Results Performance analysis showed that after refrigeration began the temperature difference between the condenser surface and the exhaled gas met the requirements of the condenser,and no obvious thermal resistance was found on the condensing surface so that large droplets could be formed rapidly and then be collected after the gas-liquid phase change of the exhaled gas on the condensing surface.Human EBC collection and content analysis indicated the device realized home self-collection of EBCs from people of all ages,and the concentrations of interleukins,C-reactive protein and other inflammation-related indexes and the pH value of the collected EBC samples were all correlated with respiratory infections in the subjects.Conclusion The device developed with easy operation avoids the discomfort of blowing collection and the risk of saliva contamination,and is worthy promoting for rapid diagnosis and dynamic monitoring of respiratory tract infection and other related diseases.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(8):32-37]

Purpose::The incidence of heatstroke (HS) is not particularly high; however, once it occurs, the consequences are serious. It is reported that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is protective against brain injury in HS rats, but detailed molecular mechanisms need to be further investigated. In this study, we further explored whether CGRP inhibited neuronal apoptosis in HS rats via protein kinase A (PKA)/p-cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) pathway.Methods::We established a HS rat model in a pre-warmed artificial climate chamber with a temperature of (35.5 ± 0.5) °C and a relative humidity of 60% ± 5%. Heatstress was stopped once core body temperature reaches above 41 °C. A total of 25 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups with 5 animals each: control group, HS group, HS+CGRP group, HS+CGRP antagonist (CGRP8-37) group, and HS+CGRP+PKA/p-CREB pathway blocker (H89) group. A bolus injection of CGRP was administered to each rat in HS+CGRP group, CGRP8-37 (antagonist of CGRP) in HS+CGRP8-37 group, and CGRP with H89 in HS+CGRP+H89 group. Electroencephalograms were recorded and the serum concentration of S100B, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neuron apoptosis, activated caspase-3 and CGRP expression, as well as pathological morphology of brain tissue were detected at 2 h, 6 h, and 24 h after HS in vivo. The expression of PKA, p-CREB, and Bcl-2 in rat neurons were also detected at 2 h after HS in vitro. Exogenous CGRP, CGRP8-37, or H89 were used to determine whether CGRP plays a protective role in brain injury via PKA/p-CREB pathway. The unpaired t-test was used between the 2 samples, and the mean ± SD was used for multiple samples. Double-tailed p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results::Electroencephalogram showed significant alteration of θ (54.50 ± 11.51 vs. 31.30 ± 8.71, F = 6.790, p = 0.005) and α wave (16.60 ± 3.21 vs. 35.40 ± 11.28, F = 4.549, p = 0.020) in HS group compared to the control group 2 h after HS. The results of triphosphate gap terminal labeling (TUNEL) showed that the neuronal apoptosis of HS rats was increased in the cortex (9.67 ± 3.16 vs. 1.80 ± 1.10, F= 11.002, p = 0.001) and hippocampus (15.73 ± 8.92 vs. 2.00 ± 1.00, F = 4.089, p = 0.028), the expression of activated caspase-3 was increased in the cortex (61.76 ± 25.13 vs. 19.57 ± 17.88, F = 5.695, p = 0.009) and hippocampus (58.60 ± 23.30 vs. 17.80 ± 17.62, F = 4.628, p = 0.019); meanwhile the expression of serum NSE (5.77 ± 1.78 vs. 2.35 ± 0.56, F = 5.174, p = 0.013) and S100B (2.86 ± 0.69 vs. 1.35 ± 0.34, F= 10.982, p = 0.001) were increased significantly under HS. Exogenous CGRP decreased the concentrations of NSE and S100B, and activated the expression of caspase-3 (0.41 ± 0.09 vs. 0.23 ± 0.04, F = 32.387, p < 0.001) under HS; while CGRP8-37 increased NSE (3.99 ± 0.47 vs. 2.40 ± 0.50, F = 11.991, p = 0.000) and S100B (2.19 ± 0.43 vs. 1.42 ± 0.30, F = 4.078, p = 0.025), and activated the expression caspase-3 (0.79 ± 0.10 vs. 0.23 ± 0.04, F= 32.387, p < 0.001). For the cell experiment, CGRP increased Bcl-2 (2.01 ± 0.73 vs. 2.15 ± 0.74, F= 8.993, p < 0.001), PKA (0.88 ± 0.08 vs. 0.37 ± 0.14, F= 20.370, p < 0.001), and p-CREB (0.87 ± 0.13 vs. 0.29 ± 0.10, F= 16.759, p < 0.001) levels; while H89, a blocker of the PKA/p-CREB pathway reversed the expression. Conclusions::CGRP can protect against HS-induced neuron apoptosis via PKA/p-CREB pathway and reduce activation of caspase-3 by regulating Bcl-2. Thus CGRP may be a new target for the treatment of brain injury in HS.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics and prognosis of acute leukemia(AL) with SET-NUP214 fusion gene. METHODS: The clinical data of 17 patients over 14 years old newly diagnosed with SET-NUP214 positive AL admitted in Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital from August 2017 to May 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among the 17 SET-NUP214 positive patients, 13 cases were diagnosed as T-ALL (ETP 3 cases, Pro-T-ALL 6 cases, Pre-T-ALL 3 cases, Medullary-T-ALL 1 case), AML 3 cases (2 cases M5, 1 case M0) and ALAL 1 case. Thirteen patients presented extramedullary infiltration at initial diagnosis. All 17 patients received treatment, and a total of 16 cases achieved complete remission (CR), including 12 cases in patients with T-ALL. The total median OS and RFS time were 23 (3-50) months and 21 (0-48) months, respectively. Eleven patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT), with median OS time of 37.5 (5-50) months and median RFS time of 29.5 (5-48) months. The median OS time of 6 patients in chemotherapy-only group was 10.5 (3-41) months, and median RFS time of 6.5 (3-39) months. The OS and RFS of patients with transplantation group were better than those of chemotherapy-only group (P=0.038). Among the 4 patients who relapsed or refractory after allo-HSCT, the SET-NUP214 fusion gene did not turn negative before transplantation. While, in the group of 7 patients who have not relapsed after allo-HSCT till now, the SET-NUP214 fusion gene expression of 5 patients turned negative before transplantation and other 2 of them were still positive. CONCLUSION The fusion site of SET-NUP214 fusion gene is relatively fixed in AL patients, often accompanied by extramedullary infiltration. The chemotherapy effect of this disease is poor, and allo-HSCT may improve its prognosis.
Humans ; Adolescent ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Acute Disease ; Prognosis ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/therapy* ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a family with congenital dysfibrinogenemia, and analyze the risk of hemorrhage and thrombosis and blood transfusion strategies. METHODS: Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) of the proband and her family members were detected by automatic coagulometer, fibrinogen (Fg) activity and antigen were detected by Clauss method and PT algorithm respectively. Meanwhile, thromboelastometry was analyzed for proband and her family members. Then, peripheral blood samples of the proband and her family members were collected, and all exons of FGA, FGB and FGG and their flanks were amplified by PCR and sequenced to search for gene mutations. RESULTS: The proband had normal APTT and PT, slightly prolonged TT, reduced level of Fg activity (Clauss method). The Fg of the proband's aunt, son and daughter all decreased to varying degrees. The results of thromboelastogram indicated that Fg function of the proband and her family members (except her son) was basically normal. Gene analysis showed that there were 6233 G/A (p.AαArg35His) heterozygous mutations in exon 2 of FGA gene in the proband, her children and aunt. In addition, 2 polymorphic loci were found in the family, they were FGA gene g.9308A/G (p.AαThr331Ala) and FGB gene g.12628G/A (p.BβArg478Iys) polymorphism, respectively. The proband was injected with 10 units of cryoprecipitate 2 hours before delivery to prevent bleeding, and no obvious bleeding occurred during and after delivery. CONCLUSION Heterozygous mutation of 6233G/A (p.AαArg35His) of FGA gene is the biogenetic basis of the disease in this family with congenital dysfibrinogenemia.
Humans ; Child ; Female ; Fibrinogen/genetics* ; Pedigree ; Afibrinogenemia/genetics* ; Mutation ; Blood Transfusion

Inflammation-driven endothelial dysfunction is the major initiating factor in atherosclerosis, while the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report that the non-canonical stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-PKR-like ER kinase (PERK) pathway was significantly activated in both human and mice atherosclerotic arteries. Typically, STING activation leads to the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/p65, thereby facilitating IFN signals and inflammation. In contrast, our study reveals the activated non-canonical STING-PERK pathway increases scaffold protein bromodomain protein 4 (BRD4) expression, which encourages the formation of super-enhancers on the proximal promoter regions of the proinflammatory cytokines, thereby enabling the transactivation of these cytokines by integrating activated IRF3 and NF-κB via a condensation process. Endothelium-specific STING and BRD4 deficiency significantly decreased the plaque area and inflammation. Mechanistically, this pathway is triggered by leaked mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) via mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), formed by voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) oligomer interaction with oxidized mtDNA upon cholesterol oxidation stimulation. Especially, compared to macrophages, endothelial STING activation plays a more pronounced role in atherosclerosis. We propose a non-canonical STING-PERK pathway-dependent epigenetic paradigm in atherosclerosis that integrates IRF3, NF-κB and BRD4 in inflammatory responses, which provides emerging therapeutic modalities for vascular endothelial dysfunction.