Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6), an important component of cardiac microenvironment, favors cardiac repair by improving cardiomyocyte regeneration in different models. This study aimed to investigate the effects of IL-6 on stemness maintenances and cardiac differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). The mESCs were treated with IL-6 for two days, and then subjected to CCK-8 essay for proliferation analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to evaluate the mRNA expression of genes related to stemness and germinal layers differentiation. Phosphorylation levels of stem cell-related signal pathways were detected by Western blot. siRNA was used to interfere the function of STAT3 phosphorylation. Cardiac differentiation was investigated by the percentage of beating embryoid bodies (EBs) and qPCR analysis of cardiac progenitor markers and cardiac ion channels. IL-6 neutralization antibody was applied to block the endogenous IL-6 effects since the onset of cardiac differentiation (embryonic day of 0, EB0). The EBs were collected on EB7, EB10 and EB15 to investigate the cardiac differentiation by qPCR. On EB15, Western blot was applied to investigate the phosphorylation of several signaling pathways, and immunochemistry staining was adopted to trace the cardiomyocytes. IL-6 antibody was administered for two days (short term) on EB4, EB7, EB10 or EB15, and percentages of beating EBs at late developmental stage were recorded. The results showed that exogenous IL-6 promoted mESCs proliferation and favored maintenances of pluripotency, evidenced by up-regulated mRNA expression of oncogenes (c-fos, c-jun) and stemness markers (oct4, nanog), down-regulated mRNA expression of germ layer genes (branchyury, FLK-1, pecam, ncam, sox17), and increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and STAT3. siRNA targeting JAK/STAT3 partially attenuated the effects of IL-6 on cell proliferation and mRNA expression of c-fos and c-jun. During differentiation, long term IL-6 neutralization antibody application decreased the percentage of beating EBs, down-regulated mRNA expression of ISL1, GATA4, α-MHC, cTnT, kir2.1, cav1.2, and declined the fluorescence intensity of cardiac α actinin in EBs and single cell. Long term IL-6 antibody treatment decreased the phosphorylation of STAT3. In addition, short term (2 d) IL-6 antibody treatment starting from EB4 significantly reduced the percentage of beating EBs in late development stage, while short term IL-6 antibody treatment starting from EB10 significantly increased the percentage of beating EBs on EB16. These results suggest that exogenous IL-6 promotes mESCs proliferation and favors stemness maintenance. Endogenous IL-6 regulates mESC cardiac differentiation in a development-dependent manner. These findings provide important basis for the study of microenvironment on cell replacement therapy, as well as a new perspective for understanding the pathophysiology of heart diseases.
Animals ; Mice ; Interleukin-6 ; Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells ; Cell Differentiation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; RNA, Messenger

Abstract: Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pathogens causing bloodstream infection in hematology patients during treatment and to compare the effects of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) on them, so as to provide evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of bloodstream infection. Methods A total of 292 cases with bloodstream infection in hematology wards of the PLA General Hospital were collected from 2017 to 2021, which were divided into HSCT group and N-HSCT group according to whether performed HSCT or not. The epidemiological characteristics and influence of pathogenic bacteria in blood stream infection were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Results A total of 362 strains of pathogenic bacteria were collected from 292 cases, including 106 strains in HSCT group (84 cases) and 256 strains in N-HSCT group (208 cases). Bloodstream infections were more common in acute myeloid leukemia (130/392, 44.52%), followed by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (74/292, 25.34%). The rate of once bloodstream infection in HSCT group was higher than that in N-HSCT Group, but the rate of twice bloodstream infections in N-HSCT group was higher. Gram-negative Bacilli were the most common pathogens (56.08%), with Escherichia coli being absolutely dominant (109/362, 30.11%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (39/362, 10.77%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (107/362, 29.56%) were the most common Gram-positive cocci. The detection rate of fungi in HSCT group (10/106, 9.43%) was significantly higher than that in N-HSCT Group (3.52%). The drug resistance rate of the common pathogenic bacteria was at a high level, and there was a certain proportion of multi-drug resistant strains (except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The resistance rates of CoNS to penicillin, gentamicin, moxifloxacin, clindamycin and rifampicin in HSCT group were higher than those in N-HSCT Group. The resistance rate of Escherichia coli to piperacillin/tazobactam, cephalosporins and etapenem in HSCT group was significantly higher than that in N-HSCT group. Conclusions The pathogens of blood stream infection in hematology patients are complicated and various. It is difficult for clinical diagnosis and treatment to detect multiple infections and multiple pathogens. HSCT patients have a higher risk of fungal bloodstream infection and more multi-drug resistant strains detected. Therefore, the identification of bloodstream infection and multi-drug resistant strains associated with HSCT patients should prompt surveillance.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the HIV-1 subtype distribution and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in patients with ART failure from 2014 to 2020 in Hainan, China. METHODS: A 7-year cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients with ART failure in Hainan. We used online subtyping tools and the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree to confirm the HIV subtypes with pol sequences. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were analyzed using the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database. RESULTS: A total of 307 HIV-infected patients with ART failure were included, and 241 available pol sequences were obtained. Among 241 patients, CRF01_AE accounted for 68.88%, followed by CRF07_BC (17.00%) and eight other subtypes (14.12%). The overall prevalence of HIVDR was 61.41%, and the HIVDR against non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) were 59.75%, 45.64%, and 2.49%, respectively. Unemployed patients, hypoimmunity or opportunistic infections in individuals, and samples from 2017 to 2020 increased the odd ratios of HIVDR. Also, HIVDR was less likely to affect female patients. The common DRMs to NNRTIs were K103N (21.99%) and Y181C (20.33%), and M184V (28.21%) and K65R (19.09%) were the main DRMs against NRTIs. CONCLUSION The present study highlights the HIV-1 subtype diversity in Hainan and the importance of HIVDR surveillance over a long period.
Humans ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; HIV-1/genetics* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Phylogeny ; Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use* ; Drug Resistance, Viral/genetics* ; HIV Infections/epidemiology* ; Mutation ; China/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Genotype

OBJECTIVE: Clinical characteristics and outcome in COVID-19 with brucellosis patients has not been well demonstrated, we tried to analyze clinical outcome in local and literature COVID-19 cases with brucellosis before and after recovery. METHODS: We retrospectively collected hospitalization data of comorbid patients and prospectively followed up after discharge in Heilongjiang Infectious Disease Hospital from January 15, 2020 to April 29, 2022. Demographics, epidemiological, clinical symptoms, radiological and laboratory data, treatment medicines and outcomes, and follow up were analyzed, and findings of a systematic review were demonstrated. RESULTS: A total of four COVID-19 with brucellosis patients were included. One patient had active brucellosis before covid and 3 patients had nonactive brucellosis before brucellosis. The median age was 54.5 years, and all were males (100.0%). Two cases (50.0%) were moderate, and one was mild and asymptomatic, respectively. Three cases (75.0%) had at least one comorbidity (brucellosis excluded). All 4 patients were found in COVID-19 nucleic acid screening. Case C and D had only headache and fever on admission, respectively. Four cases were treated with Traditional Chinese medicine, western medicines for three cases, no adverse reaction occurred during hospitalization. All patients were cured and discharged. Moreover, one case (25.0%) had still active brucellosis without re-positive COVID-19, and other three cases (75.0%) have no symptoms of discomfort except one case fell fatigue and anxious during the follow-up period after recovery. Conducting the literature review, two similar cases have been reported in two case reports, and were both recovered, whereas, no data of follow up after recovery. CONCLUSION These cases indicate that COVID-19 patients with brucellosis had favorable outcome before and after recovery. More clinical studies should be conducted to confirm our findings.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Brucellosis ; COVID-19 ; Retrospective Studies ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Treatment Outcome ; Case Reports as Topic

Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata polysaccharides(AP) are a class of bioactive macromolecules extracted from the herbs of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and its various processed products. Since the AP was first separated in 1986, its pharmacological effects include immune regulation, anti-tumor, anti-depression, organ protection, hypoglycemia, and anti-inflammatory had been found. In recent years, with the development of polysaccharide extraction, separation, and structure identification technologies, more than 20 kinds of AP have been separated from Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and its processed products, and they have ob-vious differences in relative molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic bond, structural characteristics, and biological activities. In particular, AP may be dissolved, degraded, or allosteric under the complex processing environment of fermentation, soaking, cooking, etc., leading to the diversified structure of AP, which provides a possibility for further understanding of the structure-activity relationship of AP. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed the research progress on the structure and structure-activity relationship of AP, summarized the biological activity and potential action mechanism of AP, and discussed the technical challenges in the development and application of AP, so as to promote the quality control and further development and utilization of AP.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Aconitum/chemistry* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Technology