Objective To study the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution and pathogenic factors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis(AS).Methods One hundred patients of AS and their family members who had medical consultation in the Fifth Hospital of Xi'an(i.e.,Shaanxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine)in August 2019 and September 2020 were selected as the study subjects.The guidelines of Classification and Determination of Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution issued by the China Association of Chinese Medicine were adopted to determine the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution types of the study subjects.The sociodemographic information,living habits,clinical symptoms,and TCM constitution types of the AS patients and their family members were collected by means of questionnaires and clinical investigations,and then the pathogenic factors of the patients with AS were investigated.The binomial Logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation between TCM constitution types and pathogenic factors in patients with AS.Results(1)Among the 100 AS patients,the majority of them had the biased constitutions,and the biased constitutions with the occurrence frequency in descending order were yang deficiency constitution,qi deficiency constitution,and damp-heat constitution,which accounted for 33.00%,14.00%,and 18.00%,respectively.(2)The prevalence rates of AS in the first-,second-,and third-degree relatives of AS patients were 56.25%,40.00%and 25.00%,respectively.For the positive rates of human leukocyte antigen B27(HLA-B27)in AS patients and their family members,HLA-B27 in AS patients was all positive,while the positive rates of HLA-B27 in the first-,second-,and third-degree relatives of AS patients were 44.31%,30.67%and 15.63%,respectively.(3)The results of regression analysis showed that the disease duration of AS patients was significantly correlated with qi deficiency constitution,the grading of sacroiliac arthritis was correlated with qi stagnation constitution,and age was correlated with blood stasis constitution(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The results indicated that disease duration and age were the important factors affecting the constitution types of AS patients,and disease duration was closely related to qi deficiency while age was closely related to blood stasis.Conclusion AS is a highly hereditary autoimmune disease,and its onset is associated with HLA-B27.Yang deficiency is the basic constitution type of AS,and damp-heat constitution is the main constitution type in the progression of AS(especially in the active stage of the disease).The prolongation of the disease will exacerbate the illness condition of AS and then the manifestations of qi deficiency will be more obvious.

Research on serum peptidome biomarkers typically involves comparing the relative abundance of peptides in different samples,but the distribution characteristics of the human serum peptidome has not yet been reported.In this study,a high resolution tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS)method was used for analysis of serum peptidome from 50 volunteers to compare and summarize the number of the identified peptides and their attributed proteins,peptide intensities,and peptidomics characteristics,and to explore the distribution pattern of the serum peptidome.The results showed that the distributions of the peptide at the protein level were significant heterogeneous,namely,the top 20%of dominantly degraded proteins occupied about 78%of the total peptide number and about 85%of the total peptide intensity,whereas only one peptide could be detected for those of last 40%protein.Additionally,the number of peptides detected in serum samples was positively correlated with the number of degraded proteins to which they were attributed,and a range of peptides with similar molecular mass but different sequences were present in the serum peptidome.Moreover,by using a variety of degraded proteins such as thymosin β4,complement C3 and fibrinogen alpha chain as examples,it was found that a series of relatively concentrated and consecutive enzyme cleavage sites always existed in dominantly degraded proteins,and that the resulting series of stepped-sequence or correlated-sequence peptides were responsible for the heterogeneous distribution of peptides in the peptidome.Finally,the absolute signal intensities of individual degraded peptides were found to vary considerably across samples,even up to one hundred-fold or more,but some peptides with higher signal intensities were found to be relatively stable across samples,and they had also been frequently reported as disease biomarkers.The distribution patterns and characteristics of these serum peptidome might not only provide new references for biomarker selection criteria,but also could be used for methodological quality evaluation during separation and mass spectrometry analysis.

Objective:To determine the differential expressions of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)and messenger RNA(mRNA)in normal and asthenospermia(AS)men and analyze their biological significance in AS.Methods:We isolated and ex-tracted total RNAs from 9 normal and 9 AS sperm samples,determined the expressions of RNAs in the sperm using the DNBSEQ se-quencing platform,and analyzed their relevant functions by gene ontology enrichment(GO)and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and ge-nomes pathway(KEGG)analyses.Results:An average of 10.64G data was generated per group,with 282 185 RNAs detected,in-cluding 107 009 lncRNAs.Among the total number of lncRNAs,15 157 were differentially expressed,2 190 upregulated and 12 967 downregulated;and among the 19 514 mRNAs,13 736 were differentially expressed,4 995 upregulated and 8 741 downregulated.Differentially expressed genes were enriched mainly in the sperm cell membrane and the pathways related to the ion channel functions,sperm development and fertilization.Conclusion:Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs can be identified by sequencing a-nalysis of AS and normal sperm.Regulation of sperm function through membrane ion channels may contribute to the development of AS,which provides a molecular basis for further research on AS.

Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of transmesenteric vein extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TEPS) and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in the treatment of cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV). Methods: The clinical data of CTPV patients with patency or partial patency of the superior mesenteric vein treated with TIPS or TEPS treatment in the Department of Vascular Surgery of Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were selected. The differences in baseline data, surgical success rate, complication rate, incidence rate of hepatic encephalopathy, and other related indicators between TIPS and TEPS group were statistically analyzed by independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to calculate the cumulative patency rate of the shunt and the recurrence rate of postoperative portal hypertension symptoms in both groups. Results: The surgical success rate (100% vs. 65.52%), surgical complication rate (6.67% vs. 36.84%), cumulative shunt patency rate (100% vs. 70.70%), and cumulative symptom recurrence rate (0% vs. 25.71%) of the TEPS group and TIPS group were statistically significantly different (P < 0.05). The time of establishing the shunt [28 (2141) min vs. 82 (51206) min], the number of stents used [1 (12) vs. 2 (15)], and the length of the shunt [10 (912) cm vs. 16 (1220) cm] were statistically significant between the two groups (t = -3.764, -4.059, -1.765, P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative hepatic encephalopathy in the TEPS group and TIPS group was 6.67% and 15.79% respectively, with no statistically significant difference (Fisher's exact probability method, P = 0.613). The pressure of superior mesenteric vein decreased from (29.33 ± 1.99) mmHg to (14.60 ± 2.80) mmHg in the TEPS group and from (29.68 ± 2.31) mmHg to (15.79 ± 3.01) mmHg in TIPS group after surgery, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 16.625, 15.959, P < 0.01). Conclusion: The best indication of TEPS is in CTPV patients with patency or partial patency of the superior mesenteric vein. TEPS improves the accuracy and success rate of surgery and reduces the incidence of complications.
Humans ; Portal Vein/surgery* ; Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic/methods* ; Hepatic Encephalopathy/etiology* ; Treatment Outcome ; Hypertension, Portal/complications* ; Retrospective Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology*

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.

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.
Adult ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Imatinib Mesylate/adverse effects* ; Incidence ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pyrimidines/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Benzamides/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase/drug therapy* ; Aminopyridines/therapeutic use* ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*

Objective: To compare the efficacies between open surgery and axillary non-inflatable endoscopic surgery in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 343 patients with unilateral PTC treated by traditional open surgery (201 cases) and transaxillary non-inflating endoscopic surgery (142 cases) from May 2019 to December 2021 in the Head and Neck Surgery of Sichuan Cancer Hospital. Among them, 97 were males and 246 were females, aged 20-69 years. 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed on the enrolled patients, and the basic characteristics, perioperative clinical outcomes, postoperative complications, postoperative quality of life (Thyroid Cancer-Specific Quality of Life), aesthetic satisfaction and other aspects of the two groups were compared after successful matching. SPSS 26.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 190 patients were enrolled after PSM, with 95 cases in open group and 95 cases in endoscopic group. Intraoperative blood losses for endoscopic and open groups were [20 (20) ml vs. 20 (10) ml, M (IQR), Z=-2.22], postoperative drainage volumes [170 (70)ml vs. 101 (55)ml, Z=-7.91], operative time [135 (35)min vs. 95 (35)min, Z=-7.34], hospitalization cost [(28 188.7±2 765.1)yuan vs. (25 643.5±2 610.7)yuan, x¯±s, t=0.73], postoperative hospitalization time [(3.1±0.9)days vs. (2.6±0.9)days, t=-3.24], and drainage tube placement time [(2.5±0.8) days vs. (2.0±1.0)days, t=-4.16], with statistically significant differrences (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in surgical complications (P>0.05). There were significant diffferences between two groups in the postoperative quality of life scores in neuromuscular, psychological, scar and cold sensation (all P<0.05), while there were no statistically significant differences in other quality of life scores (all P>0.05). In terms of aesthetic satisfaction 6 months after surgery, the endoscopic group was better than the open group, with statistically significant difference (χ²=41.47, P<0.05). Conclusion: Endoscopic thyroidectomy by a gasless unilateral axillary approach is a safe and reliable surgical method, which has remarkable cosmetic effect and can improve the postoperative quality of life of patients compared with the traditional thyroidectomy.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology* ; Endoscopy ; Thyroidectomy/methods*

The incidence of gastrointestinal malignancies is high in the population, and 40%?80% of gastrointestinal tumor patients suffer from malnutrition. The metabolic mechanism of tumor disease itself, and the perioperative stress reaction caused by surgical treatment can further aggravate malnutrition. Therefore, nutritional support should be routinely provided during the perioperative period in tumor patients with nutritional risk or malnutrition. For a long time, immunonutrients such as glutamine, ω-3 fatty acids, arginine and nucleotides have attracted much attention in the treatment of perioperative tumor patients. Most studies have shown that perioperative immunonutrition therapy not only improve nutritional deficiency and correct malnutrition, but also maintain immune function, reduce inflammation and maintain intestinal barrier integrity, to reduce postopera-tive complications and short postoperative duration of hospital stay. However, with the extensive clinical application and in-depth study of immunonutrition in recent years, there are still many doubts and controversies about its application in the perioperative gastrointestinal malignancies. The authors review the pharmacological mechanism and clinical application of perioperative immunonutrients, perioperative combined application of immunonutrients, and application timing and approach of immunonutrition in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies, so as to provide some clues for its subsequent clinical application.

[Abstract] Objective To investigate the protective effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H

Objective To investigate the prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode human infections in Jurong City from 2016 to 2020, so as to provide the scientific evidence for formulating the control strategy. Methods During the period from 2016 to 2020, the permanent residents at ages of over 3 years living in Jurong City were selected as the study subjects. Stool samples were collected for the detection of soil-transmitted nematode eggs using the modified Kato-Katz thick smear method (two detections for one stool sample), and the species of hookworm was identified in stool-positive stool samples using the culture method. The prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted nematode infections were calculated, and the change of the infection prevalence among years was examined using the Cochran-Armitage test for trend. Results A total of 10 011 people-time populations were detected for soil-transmitted nematode infections in Jurong City from 2016 to 2020, and 56 egg-positives were identified, with mean prevalence of 0.56%. The prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode human infections appeared a tendency towards a decline year by year in Jurong City (χ²_trend = 5.15, P < 0.01). The mean prevalence of hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections was 0.44%, 0.11% and 0.20% in Jurong City from 2016 to 2020, respectively, and individuals with hookworm infections accounted for 78.57% of all cases with soil-transmitted nematode infections. Single parasite (98.21%) and mild infection were pre-dominant in individuals with soil-transmitted nematode infections, and no multiple infections were seen after 2016. Conclusions The prevalence of human soil-transmitted nematodiasis is low in Jurong City. Based on reinforcement of soil-transmitted nematodiasis surveillance, an increase in the health education investment is required to consolidate the control achievements.