Objective To investigate the mid- to long-term follow-up results of ascending aorta (AAO)-descending thoracic aorta (DTA) bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision for the treatment of complex aortic arch coarctation. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with complex aortic arch coarctation who underwent AAO-DTA bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision at the First Hospital of Tsinghua University from August 2004 to May 2017. Results A total of 7 patients were enrolled, including 4 males and 3 females, aged (13.3±4.6) years, and weighted (40.2±12.2) kg. Six (85.7%) patients had concomitant upper limb hypertension. Four patients were aortic arch coarctation combined with intracardiac malformations, two were post-operative restenosis, and 1 was post-operative restenosis combined with intracardiac malformation. All patients underwent surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. There were no perioperative deaths or major complications. The pre-operative upper-lower limb pressure difference was (39.3±19.2) mm Hg, which decreased to (2.9±2.7) mm Hg post-operatively (P<0.01). The follow-up period was (14.9±5.9) years. There were no long-term deaths or artificial graft-related complications. Except for one patient who still had mild hypertension, the blood pressure of the remaining patients returned to normal. Conclusion AAO-DTA bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision for the treatment of complex aortic arch coarctation can effectively reduce upper limb blood pressure and the upper-lower limb arterial pressure difference, has fewer complications, and demonstrates satisfactory mid- to long-term efficacy.

Spontaneous abortion is one of the most common complications of pregnancy， and two or more spontaneous abortions in a row are defined as recurrent spontaneous abortion （RSA）， of which about half of patients have unknown etiology. However， the pathogenesis of unexplained RSA （URSA） has not been elucidated， and the lack of effective treatment has made it one of the key and difficult points in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. This article conducts a literature review of recent research on URSA and finds that the pathogenesis of URSA is related to the imbalance of immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface， apoptosis of trophoblast cells， inhibition of angiogenesis， and activation of immune responses. Immunotherapy （including cell therapy， cytokine therapy， and immunosuppressive intervention）， hormone drugs， anticoagulant regimens， and traditional Chinese medicine therapies are commonly used in clinical practice to intervene in URSA， but the safety and effectiveness of some therapies are still controversial.

Objective:To evaluate the correlation between the timed up and go(TUG)test and fall risks in elderly frail patients.Methods:From July to September 2019, elderly frail patients who were treated at the cardiovascular department of our hospital were enrolled.Basic clinical data and fall-related information of patients were collected.Patients were divided into the fall group and the non-fall group.Results on the body mass index(BMI), TUG, 4-meter maximum walking speed(4 m MWS)and Barthel index were compared between the two groups.The correlation between TUG and each indicator was examined.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the TUG and falls in elderly patients.Results:A total of 96 eligible patients were enrolled, including 35 in the fall group and 61 in the non-fall group.The average TUG time was longer in the fall group than in the non-fall group(16.45±6.44 s vs.10.17±2.91 s, t=-6.556, P<0.001). The correlation analysis results showed that the TUG was correlated with falls and 4 m MWS( r=0.582 and 0.875, both P<0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the TUG( OR=1.201, 95% CI: 1.111-1.470, P=0.004)and 4 m MWS( OR=1.146, 95% CI: 1.063-1.244, P=0.015)were risk factors for falls. Conclusions:The TUG is correlated with fall risks in elderly frail patients and should be recommended as a routine test in clinical practice.

Objective:To provide epidemiological data and clinical evidence for cosmetic adverse reactions.Methods:A retrospective clinical analysis was carried out on a total 820 outpatients (23 males and 797 females) suspected to be with cosmetic adverse reactions from January 2014 - October 2017, and average age of these patients was 7~75 (32.66±8.09) years. Suspicious cosmetics patch tests were performed in some patients. Suspicious cosmetics patch tests were performed in 687 patients.Results:Among 820 patients with cosmetic adverse reactions, women accounted for 97.20% and men accounted for 2.80%. Age distribution was most common among young people aged 21-40 years, accounting for 71.34%. The highest level of education was higher education, accounting for 59.69%. Occupational distribution was most commonly concentrated in employees and unemployed persons, accounting for 28.54% and 18.66%, respectively. A history of cosmetics allergies accounted for 17.28%. Cosmetic contact dermatitis was the most common clinical type of cosmetic adverse reactions, accounting for 92.70%. A total of 1682 suspected pathogenic cosmetics were involved. The positive rate of the cosmetic original patch test was 42.39%. Among the cosmetics with a positive patch test, moisturizing, anti-wrinkle and whitening freckle cosmetics accounted for the highest proportion, 31.59%, 15.09%, and 12.68%, respectively.Conclusions:Cosmetic contact dermatitis is the most common type of cosmetic adverse reaction. Patch testing is helpful in identifying the contact allergens in cosmetic adverse reaction.

Objective To evaluate therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSC)derived exosomes on alcohol-induced liver injury.Methods Eighteen male C57BL/6 mice aged 6 to 8 week were randomly divided into control group,model group and exosomes group,with 6 mice in each group.The mice in the model group and the exosomes group were fed with Lieber-DeCarli ad libitum diet(Dyets Inc.)for 4 weeks,followed by gavage a bolus of ethanol at day 26,27 and 28.The mice in the control group matched the alcohol-derived calories with dextran-maltose.Meanwhile,the mice in exosomes group were injected with MSC-exosomes via the tail vein at day 14 and 26.After the experiment,serum levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransaminase(AST)were detected,and the pathological changes of liver tissues were observed.The expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf-2),heme oxygenase-1(HO-1),CD63,CD81,TSG101 and Cytochrome C were analyzed by Western blot,and mRNA levels of Nrf-2,HO-1,interleukin(IL)-10 and IL-17 were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).The commercial kits were used to detect serum IL-10,IL-17 levels and liver tissue malondialdehyde(MDA),glutathione(GSH),superoxide dismutase(SOD)oxidative stress indicators.The numbers of regulatory T cell(Treg)and help T(Th)17 cells in the liver were analyzed by flow cytometry.One-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between groups.Results MSC-exosomes expressed positive markers CD63,CD81 and TSG101,but did not express the negative markers Cytochrome C.The serum ALT and AST levels in model group were(87.3±25.1)U/L and(223.2±43.5)U/L,respectively,while those in exosomes group were(47.7±12.0)U/L and(128.2±33.6)U/L,respectively.The differences between the two groups were both statistically significant(F=12.818 and 12.226,respectively,both P<0.05).Compared with control group,the SOD activity and GSH level in the model group significantly decreased with statistically significant differences(F=4.245 and 24.074,respectively,both P <0.05).Lieber-DeCarli ethanol feeding significantly increased intrahepatic MDA level in the model mice,which was reversed by MSC-exosomes supplementation,and the difference was statistically significant(F=36.675,P <0.05).Compared with control group,the intrahepatic protein expressions of Nrf-2 and HO-1 in model group were significantly decreased,while the expressions in exosomes group were obviously increased.The differences were statistically significant(F=33.623 and 14.960,respectively,both P <0.05).The expression trends of Nrf-2 and HO-1 mRNA were the same as those of protein expressions(F=20.784 and 276.336,respectively,both P <0.05).The proportions of liver Treg/Th17 in the control group,model group and exosomes group were 4.3±0.9,0.4±0.2,and 3.4±0.5,respectively.The differences among groups were statistically significant(F=64.227,P <0.05).Compared with control group,the serum protein and intrahepatic gene expression of IL-17 in the model group were significantly increased,which were reversed by MSC-exosomes treatment.The differences were statistically significant(F=15.581 and 40.095,respectively,both P<0.05).Serum IL-10 protein levels and intrahepatic IL-10 gene expression were significantly decreased after Lieber-DeCarli ethanol feeding,which were lower than the exosomes group.The differences were statistically significant(F=98.268 and 153.743,respectively,both P <0.05).Conclusions MSC-exosomes transplantation may relieve alcohol-induced liver injury.The mechanism could involve reduction of oxidative stress in the liver via regulating Nrf-2/HO-1 and normalizing the balance of Treg and Th17 cells.

Objective: To determine the clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolated from respiratory specimens. Methods: Clinical data of patients with NTM strains isolated from the respiratory tract between January 2014 and February 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical significance of NTM isolated strains was evaluated based on diagnostic criteria of NTM pulmonary diseases from American Thoracic Society (ATS). Quantitative data of two groups were analyzed by independent t test. Categorical data were analyzed by Pearson χ² test or Fisher exact test. Results: Totally 352 NTM strains from 257 patients had been isolated between January 2014 and February 2017. Among 15 identified NTM species, M. intracellular (51.7%, 182/352), M. abscessus (25.6%, 90/352), and M. avium (10.8%, 38/352) were predominant. Of the 157 patients with full clinical data involved in the analysis, 58 (36.9%) patients were determined to have definite disease, and 34 patients (21.7%) were designated as probable disease candidates, and 16 (10.2%) patients were regarded as uncertain disease, and 49(31.2%) patients were diagnosed as unlikely disease. The age of 58 patients with definite disease was (63.9±12.7) years, and 48.3% (28/58) were female. M. intracellulare (55.2%, 32/58) was the main cause of pulmonary NTM disease, followed by M. abscessus (25.9%, 15/58) and M. avium (12.1%, 7/58), while other NTM species only accounted for 6.8% (4/58). Definite cases with M. intracellulare, M. abscessus, M. avium, M. kansasii, M. marseillense, and M. columbia accounted for 35.2% (32/91), 57.7% (15/26), 7/15, 2/3, 1/3 and 1/2, respectively, among patients with corresponding isolations, while patients with other species of isolation did not meet the diagnostic criteria. Patients with clinical significant isolation of NTM were older than those without clinical significance (χ²=3.603, P=0.000), and proportion of anti-acid staining positivity of patients with clinical significance was higher than that of patients without clinical significance (χ²=18.815, P=0.000). The proportion of M. abscessus in patients with clinical significance was higher than that in patients without clinical significance (χ²=6.313, P=0.012). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the isolation of M. Gordon (Fisher exact test, P=0.028). The proportion of M. abscessus lung disease in women was 11/15, which was higher than that of M. intracellulare lung disease (41.5%, 17/41), and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ²=4.462, P=0.035). There was no significant difference of clinical symptoms and underlying diseases in NTM lung disease among different groups (all P>0.05). In these patients with definite disease, 39.7% (23/58) of them manifested the upper lobe cavitary form, 53.4% (31/58) exhibited nodular bronchiectatic form, and only 6.9% (4/58) exhibited unclassified form. The upper lobe cavitary form (43.8%, 14/32) and the nodular bronchiectatic form (53.1%, 17/32) dominated in patients with M. intracellulare lung disease. M. abscessus lung disease was dominated by the nodular bronchiectatic form (11/15) while the upper lobe cavitary form only accounts for 3/15. There was no significant difference of image characteristics between NTM lung disease and other different groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions 36.9% of the patients with NTM isolates met the ATS diagnostic criteria for NTM lung disease. Different species have different clinical significance. M. intracellulare and M. abscessus are the most predominant NTM isolated species that cause NTM lung disease. Majority of patients manifest as the upper lobe cavitary form, followed by the nodular bronchiectatic form.

Objective: To evaluate the early and long-term outcomes cardiac surgery of patients with Ebstein anomaly. Methods: The clinic data of 237 patients with Ebstein anomaly received surgical procedures from March 2004 to December 2017 at Department of Cardiac Surgery, First Hospital of Tsinghua University was analyzed retrospectively. There were 105 male and 132 female patients with age of (19.4±16.7) years (ranging from 3 months to 64 years). The surgical procedures include anatomical repair in 188 patients, one and a half ventricle repair in 37 patients, tricuspid valve repair in 4 patients, tricuspid valve replacement in 10 patients, and Fontan procedure in 3 patients (total cavopulmonary connection in 2 patients; Glenn procedure in 1 patient). Results: The early mortality was 2.1% (n=5). One case of atrioventricular (0.4%) newly occurred. There were 228 patients available to follow-up. The range of follow-up duration was 3 to 168 months. Late survival was 99.1% (2 cases of late death) at 10 years. Three patients received reoperation (1.3%), including tricuspid valve repair of 1 patient and one and a half ventricle repair of 2 patients). Indication of tricuspid valve regurgitation improved from 3.6±0.3 to 1.5±0.4. Survival rate at 5 and 10 years was 98.6% and 98.2%, respectively. Conclusions The principle of the techniques is to reconstruct the tricuspid valve and right ventricle anatomically. For most cases, the anatomical repair was demonstrated with low mortality, less complications and excellent durability at long-term follow-up. If the tricuspid valve is severely hypoplastic, one and a half ventricle repair and valve replacement may be alternatie.

Objective To investigate the effect of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on the postnatal lung development in newborn rats.Methods A total of 60 newborn Sprague-Dawley rats (weighing 5.0-8.0 g) in five age groups were studied in the first experiment.The rats were divided based on the different postnatal ages:postnatal day (PND)I,PND4,PND7 and PND14.A total of 45 newborn Sprague-Dawley rats (weighing 5.0-8.0 g) were randomly divided into three groups according to the dosage of DEHP administered in the second experiment.The newborn rats were administered DEHP through intraperitoneal injection at 10 (low-dose subgroup),100 (medium-dose subgroup) or 750 (high-dose subgroup) mg/kg daily from PND1 to PND13.The rats were sacrificed on PND14.Pups were sacrificed with lethal dose injection of pentobarbital sodium.The lung was removed.The right middle lobes were used for analysis.The tissue was processed for histology and lung sections were stained with HE for light microscopic (LM) morphometric measurement.The analysis was performed by means of a digital image analysis system,including pulmonary interstitial area ratio (IAR) and total length density of all segments.One-way ANOVA,LSD and Dunnet T3 methods were used for statistical analysis.Results In the normal controls,IAR decreased significantly by (31.97±5.03) ％,(30.05±3.57)％,(25.33± 1.83)％ and(22.01 ±2.19)％,respectively,from PND1 to PND14 (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).IAR in medium-and high-dose subgroups increased significantly by (24.11 ±2.78)％ and (26.53± 3.42)％,respectively on PND 14.The total length density of all segments in unit area lung volume increased significantly by 0.047 8±0.003 7,0.050 0±0.002 9,0.071 2±0.003 0 and 0.084 4±0.004 3,respectively from PND1 to PND14 (P＜0.01).In the DEHP treated animals,when compared with the control group,IAR was significantly higher on PND14 (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),while the total length density of all segments in unit area lung volume was significantly decreased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Length density in medium-and high-dose subgroups were higher than that of low-dose subgroup by 0.082 9±0.001 8,0.077 2±0.002 0 and 0.071 3±0.003 7,respectively on PND14 (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusions Medium-and high-dose DEHP affect the postnatal lung development in rats in a dose-dependent mode.

Objective To explore the effects of daidzein (DA) on the expressions of estrogen receptors (ER) and peroxisome proliferator-activated recepor γ (PPARγ) in osteoblasts and the influence of estrogen on these effects.Methods A mouse osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 cultured in α-MEM containing 2％ FBS was treated by 0.1 and 10 μmol/L DA.ER antagonist ICI182780 and PPARγ antagonist GW9662 in 0.1 μmol/L was added as required,and an equivalent amount of phosphate buffer solution (PBS) was used as control.For the study on estrogen effect,the cells were treated by DA in the serum-free medium with or without 10 nmol/L 17β-estradiol (E2).The expressions of ERa,ERβ and PPARγ were determined by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis,respectively.Results DA inhibited ER,expression but stimulated PPARγ expression in the cells at the concentration of 0.1 and 10 μmol/L.The down-regulation of ERα by DA could be blocked by ICI182780,whereas the up-regulation of PPARγ could be repressed by GW9662 in transcription levels.Furthermore,the inhibitory effect of DA on ERβ expression was markedly enhanced,while its stimulatory effect on PPARγ expression was almost lost in serum-free medium with 10 nmol/L 17βestradiol as determined by real-time RT-PCR.Conclusions Besides its direct roles in ERs and PPARγ mediated gene transcriptions,DA could exert indirect effect on cellular pharmacological responses by altering ER and PPARγ expressions.The predominant influence on receptors expression probably involved in the time-related biphasic effects of DA on osteogenesis,which was supposedly influenced by estrogen level.

Objective To investigate the clinical features and effective treatment of patients with severe type A H1N1 flu in Wenzhou. Methods The clinical data of 42 hospitalized patients with severe type A H1N1 flu were analyzed and the clinical features were summarized. Results A total of 42 patients with severe type A H1N1 flu all began with fever and cough. The symptoms of expectoration, pharyngalgia, chilly accounted for 92. 9%, 90. 5% and 42. 9%, respectively. The peripheral leucocyte counts were normal or reduced. C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels both increased in 30 patients (71.4%). About 95.2% (40/42) patients had changes of pulmonary imaging. All of the patients were treated with oseltamivir and effective antibiotic drugs as well as symptomatic management. No patients was treated with glucocorticoid. The patients with underlying diseases were given proper treatment. Three cases were treated with antifungal therapy and 3 pregnant patients were timely terminated of pregnancy. Conclusions Severe type A H1N1 flu progresses rapidly and the lower respiratory tract is involved soon after onset. Therefore, the patient should be diagnosed early and treated promptly after presenting fever, which will lead to good prognosis.