Digital guides to facilitate retained root removal and simultaneous implant placement

The aim of this study was to report the use of digital guides to locate impacted residual roots (IRR) (location guide) and to simultaneously insert dental implants (surgical guide). This case series included five patients. The IRR was first removed through a lateral window approach using the digital location guide, then the implant was placed simultaneously with the implant surgical guide. Definitive restorations were completed after a 6-month healing period. An average of 13.0 ± 3.1 minutes was required to locate the IRR. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) was obtained during surgery and before digital coping using a non-invasive resonance frequency measurement. The average ISQ during surgery for the five dental implants was 60.2 ± 6.3, and the value increased to 66.6 ± 4.8 before final restoration. The average deviations at the implant neck and root apex were 0.48 ± 0.25 mm and 0.74 ± 0.46 mm, respectively. The average angular deviation was 3.5 ± 1.4°. Bone resorption at the implant neck was a mean 0.072 ± 0.041 mm before final restoration. All implants functioned well at 1 year after final restoration. The application of surgical guides in the extraction of IRR enabled crestal bone preservation and simultaneous implant placement.

[Efficacy of a recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor gel for the treatment of moderate dry eye: a multicenter randomized double-blind parallel controlled clinical trial]

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of a recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor (rb-bFGF) gel and a gel matrix in the treatment of moderate dry eye. Methods: It was a prospective random double-blind controlled study. One hundred patients diagnosed as moderate dry eye in Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Union Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from August 2015 to April 2019 were divided into two groups: experimental group and control group. Two groups of patients were allocated to receive either a rb-bFGF gel or a gel matrix 4 times per day for 4 weeks. Subjective symptoms, break-up time of the tear film (BUT), Schirmer Ⅰ test (SⅠt) and corneal fluorescein sodium staining were assessed at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Bulbar impression cytology was evaluated at baseline and 4 weeks after treatment. Irritation of the rb-bFGF gel and the gel matrix was estimated after treatment. T test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for quantitative data, and Chi-square test was used for enumerative data. Results: Eighty-four subjects were included for statistical analyses after the exclusion of 16 subjects who were lost for followup, with an age of 43±14 years. There were 42 cases in the experimental group and the control group, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in demographic baseline characteristics before treatment (P>0.05). The total score of subjective symptoms was 7.17±3.60 and 5.95±3.25 at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were lower than 9.48±3.88 before treatment (t=6.226, 6.563; both P<0.05); in the control group, it was 7.01±3.25 and 6.32±3.85 at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment, with a significant reduction in comparison with that before treatment (9.15±3.58; t=4.693, 4.726; both P<0.05). The median (lower quartile, upper quartile) BUT was 4.00 (2.40, 5.00) s and 4.64 (3.00, 5.00) s at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were longer than 3.72 (2.00, 4.39) s before treatment (Z=-2.485, -3.152; both P<0.05). The BUT was 4.41 (2.79, 5.12) s at 2 weeks after therapy in the control group, which was of no statistical difference compared with 3.89 (2.09, 4.25) s before treatment (Z=-1.953, P>0.05). The BUT was 5.21 (3.00, 5.02) s at 4 weeks after therapy in the control group, which was longer than that before treatment (Z=-2.485, P<0.05). The SⅠt score was 7.31 (3.75, 10.00) mm and 8.50 (4.00, 11.00) mm at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were significantly higher than 6.69 (2.00, 8.13) mm before treatment (Z=-2.031, -2.236; both P<0.05); in the control group, it was 6.82 (2.00, 8.25) mm and 6.86 (3.00, 9.25) mm at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy, which were not significantly increased compared with 6.50 (2.00, 7.75) mm before treatment (Z=-0.179, -1.161; both P>0.05). The corneal fluorescein sodium staining points were 5.00 (2.00, 5.00) and 3.71 (0.00, 5.00) at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were significantly lower than 7.10 (5.00, 7.00) before treatment (t=-2.895, -4.639; both P<0.05); those in the control group were 5.52 (0.00, 7.00) and 6.19 (0.75, 6.25) at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment, with a significant reduction in comparison with 8.90 (5.00, 10.50) before treatment (t=-2.776, -1.991; both P<0.05). The differences in the average total score of subjective symptoms, BUT, SIt, and corneal fluorescein sodium staining points between both groups were not statistically significant at each time point. The impression cytology grade was decreased from 1.72 (1.00, 2.00) before treatment to 0.94 (0.00, 2.00) at 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group (Z=-2.803, P<0.05). The staining grade of conjunctival imprinted cells in the control group was 1.42 (1.00, 2.00) at 4 weeks, which showed no statistical significance compared with 1.56 (1.00, 2.00) before treatment (Z=1.195, P>0.05). The impression cytology grade was significantly reduced in the experimental group compared with the control group at 4 weeks after treatment (Z=-3.308, P<0.05). The number of goblet cells was 10.90 (5.00, 20.00) at 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which was significantly higher than 6.30 (5.00, 8.00) before treatment (Z=-2.383, P<0.05); in the control group, it was 8.36 (4.00, 12.00) at 4 weeks after treatment, with no significant increase in comparison with that before treatment [7.55 (5.00, 11.00)] (Z=-0.095, P>0.05). The number of goblet cells was not significantly increased in the experimental group compared with the control group at 4 weeks after treatment (Z=-1.162, P>0.05). Most patients indicated that the drug was non-irritating, and no patient had intolerable irritation affecting daily lives at 4 weeks after therapy; there was no difference between the two groups (Z=-0.290, P>0.05). Conclusions: Both the rb-bFGF gel and the gel matrix can effectively improve the symptoms and signs of moderate dry eye. However, compared with the gel matrix, the rb-bFGF gel shows obvious advantages in promoting conjunctival epithelial cell repair and increasing the number of goblet cells. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 930-938).

[Prevalence of sharp instrument injuries among medical staff in a tertiary general hospital]

Objective: To investigate the current situation of sharp instrument injuries among medical workers in a tertiary general hospital in Fuzhou, so as to provide basis for formulating relevant policies. Methods: In June 2019, medical personnel working in a tertiary general hospital in Fuzhou, who may have sharp instrument injuries were selected as the research object. A total of 2720 questionnaires were received, including 2688 valid questionnaires, with an effective rate of 98.8%. The age, type of work, professional title, working years, operating habits, occurrence and reporting of sharp instrument injuries among medical staff from June 2018 to May 2019 were investigated. Results: The incidence of sharp instrument injury was 37.6% (1011/2688) . Among them, 20.6% (208/1011) had multiple sharp instrument injuries. The exposure rate of contaminated sharp instruments was 15.1% (405/2688) . With the increase of age, professional title and working years, the incidence of sharp instrument injury decreased year by year (χ(2)(trend)=12.393, 33.339, 15.160, P<0.05) . The first three causes of sharp instrument injury were breaking glass ampoules by hand (39.1%, 395/1011) , extracting liquid medicine (10.4%, 105/1011) and handling sharp instruments by hand (10.3%, 104/1011) . The main sharp instruments causing sharp injury were ampoules (43.2%, 437/1011) , syringe needles (20.3%, 205/1011) and suture needles (9.6%, 97/1011) . 874 (86.4%) medical staff had missed reports after sharp instrument injuries. Conclusion: The occurrence of sharp instrument injury in this hospital is still serious, and the protection of sharp instrument injury should be strengthened.

The spatial form periosteal-bone complex promotes bone regeneration by coordinating macrophage polarization and osteogenic-angiogenic events

Bone defects associated with soft tissue injuries are an important cause of deformity that threatens people’s health and quality of life. Although bone substitutes have been extensively explored, effective biomaterials that can coordinate early inflammation regulation and subsequent repair events are still lacking. We prepared a spatial form periosteal bone extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold, which has advantages in terms of low immunogenicity, good retention of bioactive ingredients, and a natural spatial structure. The periosteal bone ECM scaffold with the relatively low-stiffness periosteum (41.6 ± 3.7 kPa) could inhibit iNOS and IL-1β expression, which might be related to actin-mediated YAP translocation. It also helped to promote CD206 expression with the potential influence of proteins related to immune regulation. Moreover, the scaffold combined the excellent properties of decalcified bone and periosteum, promoted the formation of blood vessels, and good osteogenic differentiation (RUNX2, Col 1α1, ALP, OPN, and OCN), and achieved good repair of a cranial defect in rats. This scaffold, with its natural structural and biological advantages, provides a new idea for bone healing treatment that is aligned with bone physiology.

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We provided a spatial form periosteal-bone complex.

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The scaffold preserved major biological components and spatial structure.

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The periosteum part of the scaffold acted as a physical barrier.

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The scaffold participated in the transformation of the macrophage phenotype.

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The scaffold promoted osteogenesis and angiogenesis.

Evaluation of different late left ventricular remodeling definitions for predicting long-term outcomes in acute myocardial infarction patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

Late left ventricular remodeling (LLVR) after the index acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common complication, and is associated with poor outcome. However, the optimal definition of LLVR has been debated because of its different incidence and influence on prognosis. At present, there are limited data regarding the influence of different LLVR definitions on long-term outcomes in AMI patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Purpose

To explore the impact of different definitions of LLVR on long-term mortality, re-hospitalization or an urgent visit for heart failure, and identify which definition was more suitable for predicting long-term outcomes in AMI patients undergoing PCI.

Methods

We prospectively observed 460 consenting first-time AMI patients undergoing PCI from January 2012 to December 2018. LLVR was defined as a ≥20% increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), or a &gt;15% increase in left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) from the initial presentation to the 3–12 months follow-up, or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &lt;50% at follow up. These parameters of the cardiac structure and function were measuring through the thoracic echocardiography. The association of LLVR with long-term prognosis was investigated by Cox regression analysis.

Results

The incidence rate of LLVR was 38.1% (n=171). The occurrence of LLVR according to LVESV, LVEDV and LVEF definition were 26.6% (n=117), 31.9% (n=142) and 11.5% (n=51), respectively. During a median follow-up of 2 years, after adjusting other potential risk factors, multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed LLVR of LVESV definition [hazard ratio (HR): 2.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–5.22, P=0.015], LLVR of LVEF definition (HR: 16.46, 95% CI: 6.96–38.92, P&lt;0.001) and LLVR of Mix definition (HR: 5.86, 95% CI: 2.45–14.04, P&lt;0.001) were risk factors for long-term mortality, re-hospitalization or an urgent visit for heart failure. But only LLVR of LVEF definition was a risk predictor for long-term mortality (HR: 6.84, 95% CI: 1.98–23.65, P=0.002).

Conclusions

LLVR defined by LVESV or LVEF may be more suitable for predicting long-term mortality, re-hospitalization or an urgent visit for heart failure in AMI patients undergoing PCI. However, only LLVR defined by LVEF could be used for predicting long-term mortality.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. Association Between LLVR and outcomesKaplan-Meier Estimates of the Mortality

Predictive value of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio for contrast-associated acute kidney injury in patients without chronic kidney disease undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

Although previous studies have demonstrated that neutrophil and albumin are biomarkers of inflammation and malnutrition, which are highly related with contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI). However, there has been no study investigated the combined evaluation of neutrophil and albumin in predicting CA-AKI.

Purpose

To explore the predictive value of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) for CA-AKI in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

We prospectively observed 5083 consenting patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing elective PCI from January 2012 to December 2018. NPAR was calculated as neutrophil percentage numerator divided by serum albumin concentration. CA-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine (SCr) ≥50% or 0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours after contrast medium exposure. The association between NPAR and CA-AKI was investigated by logistic regression analysis. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were calculated to make comparison for CA-AKI prediction.

Result

The incidence of CA-AKI was 5.6% (n=286). The median NPAR was 14.9 (13.0–17.1). According to the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC), the best cut-off value of NPAR for predicting CA-AKI was 15.7 with 66.8% sensitivity and 61.9% specificity (C statistic=0.679; 95% CI, 0.666–0.691). NPAR displayed higher AUC value in comparison to neutrophil percentage (p&lt;0.001), but not albumin (P=0.063), as a predictor of CA-AKI. However, NPAR significantly improved the prediction of CA-AKI in the continuous NRI and IDI over neutrophil percentage (NRI: 0.353, 95% CI: 0.234–0.472, P&lt;0.001; IDI: 0.017, 95% CI: 0.010–0.024, p&lt;0.001) and albumin (NRI: 0.141, 95% CI: 0.022–0.260, P=0.020; IDI: 0.009, 95% CI: 0.003–0.015, p=0.003) alone. After adjusting for potential confounding risk factors of CA-AKI, multivariable logistic analysis showed that NPAR &gt;15.7 was a strong independent predictor of CA-AKI (OR=1.998, 95% CI, 1.511–2.643, p&lt;0.001).

Conclusion

NPAR is an independent predictor of CA-AKI, which significantly improved the prediction of CA-AKI over neutrophil and albumin alone in patients without CKD undergoing elective PCI.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. ROC for NPAR to predict CA-AKIPredictors of CA-AKI

[Epidemiological characteristics of local outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in Liwan district, Guangzhou]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of a local outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2(Delta) variant in Liwan district, Guangzhou, and provide evidence for the further prevention and control of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Methods: From May 21 to June 18, 2021, the incidence data of COVID-19 caused by Delta variant were obtained from National Notifiable Disease Report System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System and Liwan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangzhou.Frequency analysis (proportions), histograms, and percentage stacked area plots were used to describe the epidemiological characteristics of the outbreaks. The incubation period and time-varying reproduction numbers (R_t) estimations were used for the further analysis. Results: By June 18, 2021, a total of 127 COVID-19 cases caused by Delta variant was reported in Liwan district. The youngest case was aged 2 years and the oldest was aged 85 years. There were 18.9% (24/127) aged <18 years, 43.3% (55/127) aged 18-59 years, and 37.8% (48/127) aged ≥60 years, the male to female ratio of the cases was 1∶1.35 (54∶73). The cases were mainly retired people (32.3%, 41/127), the jobless or unemployed (18.1%, 23/127), and students (16.5%, 21/127). The infections mainly occurred in Baihedong (70.1%, 89/127) and Zhongnan street (23.6%, 30/127) communities in the southern area of Liwan district. The median incubation period of the Delta variant infection was 6 days (range: 1-15 days). The clinical classification were mainly common type (64.6%, 82/127). The basic reproduction number (R₀) was 5.1, R_t which once increased to 7.3. The transmissions mainly occurred in confined spaces, such as home (26.8%), restaurant (29.1%), neighborhood (3.9%), and market (3.1%), the household clustering was predominant. Close contacts tracing (66.1%) and community screening (33.1%) were the main ways to find the infections. Conclusion: The COVID-19 outbreak caused by Delta variant in Liwan district of Guangzhou was highly contagious, with the obvious characteristics of household clustering and high proportions of cases in adults aged 18-59 years and elderly people aged ≥60 years.

Improvement of feed intake, digestibility, plasma metabolites, and lactation performance of dairy cows fed mixed silage of sugar beet pulp and rice straw inoculated with lactic acid bacteria

A study was conducted to investigate the inclusion effects of sugar beet pulp and rice straw mixture silage with inoculation (BRMS), in place of whole-plant corn silage (CS), on the dry matter intake, total-tract nutrient digestibility, plasma metabolites, rumen fermentation, and lactation performance in high-production dairy cows. Sixteen multiparous Holstein cows (body weight, 622 ± 35 kg; days in milk, 90 ± 11 d; mean ± standard deviation) were used in our experiments; the experiments were based on a repeated 4 × 4 Latin square design for 21 d, and each experimental period consisted of 14 d of adaptation, followed by 7 d of data collection. The 4 dietary treatments used were (dry matter basis): (1) 0% BRMS and 28.6% CS (0BRMS); (2) 4.3% BRMS and 24.3% CS (15BRMS); (3) 8.60% BRMS and 20.0% CS (30BRMS); and (4) 12.9% BRMS and 15.7% CS (45BRMS). The increasing inclusion of dietary BRMS was observed to linearly increase the total volatile fatty acids and the propionate concentration. The dry matter intake and digestibility values of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber increased linearly as the percentage of BRMS increased up to 45%. Milk yield linearly increased with the increase in the content of BRMS (39.0, 39.8, 40.9, and 40.3 kg/d for 0BRMS, 15BRMS, 30BRMS, and 45BRMS, respectively). The increasing inclusion of dietary BRMS induced a decrease in the ammonia nitrogen and milk urea nitrogen concentration, leading to a linear increase in milk protein production (1.15, 1.26, 1.35, and 1.27 kg/d for 0BRMS, 15BRMS, 30BRMS, and 45BRMS, respectively). In conclusion, the diets with the replacement of CS with BRMS up to 45% were beneficial to the production performance of high-production dairy cows, indicating that this method may be an appropriate use of sugar beet pulp and rice straw.

Three Novel Structural Variations at MHC and IL12B Predisposing to Psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Structural variations (SVs, defined as DNA variants ≥50 bp) have been associated with various complex human diseases. However, research to screen the whole genome for SVs predisposing to psoriasis is still lacking.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the association of SVs and psoriasis.

METHODS

We performed a genome-wide screen on SVs using an imputation method on 5 independent cohorts with 45,386 subjects from the Chinese Han population. Fine mapping analysis, genetic interaction analysis and RNA expression analysis were conducted to explore the mechanism of SVs.

RESULTS

We obtained 4,535 SVs in total and identified 2 novel deletions (esv3608550, OR=2.73, P<2.00×10^-308 ; esv3608542, OR=0.47, P=7.40×10^-28 ) at 6q21.33 (MHC), 1 novel Alu element insertion (esv3607339, OR=1.22, P=1.18×10^-35 ) at 5q33.3 (IL12B), and confirmed 1 previously reported deletion (esv3587563, OR=1.30, P=9.52×10^-60 ) at 1q21.2 (LCE) for psoriasis. Fine mapping analysis including SNPs and small Insertions/Deletions (InDels) revealed that esv3608550 and esv3608542 were independently associated with psoriasis, and a novel independent SNP (rs9378188, OR=1.65, P=3.46×10^-38 ) was identified at 6q21.33. By genetic interaction analysis and RNA expression analysis, we speculate that the association of 2 deletions at 6q21.33 with psoriasis might relate to their influence on the expression of HLA-C.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study constructed the most comprehensive SV map for psoriasis thus far and enriched the genetic architecture and pathogenesis of psoriasis as well as highlighted the nonnegligible impact of SVs on complex diseases.

Comparison of different colistin regimens for the treatment of pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Multidrug-resistant pneumonia is a common cause of hospital-related morbidity and mortality across the world. The high prevalence of multidrug-resistant pneumonia due to resistant gram-negative pathogens has led to a re-introduction of colistin. The adverse events associated with intravenous colistin can be alleviated by administering the drug nasally (i.e., inhalation) or in a combination including both inhalation and intravenous presentations of the drug. A review study compared the impact of these administration methods on clinical, morbidity, and mortality-related outcomes in patients with multiple-drug resistant pneumonia. However, the publication of newer cohort trials, warrants an update of the state of the evidence. To compare the clinical, morbidity, and mortality outcomes in patients with multidrug-resistant pneumonia receiving either intravenous colistin or combined drug presentations (ie, inhaled and intravenous).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 A systematic search of the academic literature was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines across five databases (Web of Science, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, and MEDLINE). We conducted a random-effect meta-analysis to compare outcomes such as rate of clinical cure, microbiological eradication, nephrotoxicity, and overall mortality in patients with multidrug-resistant pneumonia receiving either intravenous colistin, inhaled colistin, or a combination of those administration routes.

RESULTS

 From 963 studies, we found 16 eligible studies with 1651 patients (61.6 ± 7.7 years) with multidrug-resistant pneumonia who had received either intravenous, inhaled colistin or a combined inhaled/intravenous administration. Our meta-analysis revealed higher rates of clinical cure (OR, 1.61) and microbiological eradication (1.37) in patients receiving combined intravenous/inhaled colistin than in those receiving intravenous colistin alone. Additional analyses revealed higher rates of nephrotoxicity (1.30) and mortality (1.44) in patients receiving intravenous colistin than in those receiving combined intravenous/inhaled colistin.

CONCLUSIONS

 We provide evidence showing improved clinical, morbidity, and mortality outcomes in patients with multidrug-resistant pneumonia receiving inhaled colistin or combined inhaled/intravenous colistin than those receiving intravenous colistin alone. These findings should help clinicians stratify the risks associated with different colistin administration routes to manage multidrug-resistant pneumonia.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Itch limits the progression of post-traumatic osteoarthritis in mice by inhibiting macrophage polarization

OBJECTIVE

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by articular cartilage loss, associated with synovial inflammation. We recently reported increased pro-inflammatory macrophages in murine post-traumatic OA (PTOA) joints, and blockade of the ubiquitin-proteasome system alleviates PTOA progression. However, the mechanisms whereby protein ubiquitination influences PTOA pathology are not well studied. We hypothesized that loss of the negative regulator of inflammation, E3 ligase Itch, in macrophages contributes to joint OA tissue damage by promoting pro-inflammatory polarization of macrophages.

METHODS

Mice deficient Itch in macrophages (MΔItch) were generated by crossing Itchfl/fl mice with LysM-Cre mice. PTOA surgery was performed on global Itch knockout, Itch-/-, mice and MΔItch mice. Joint tissue damage and synovial macrophages were examined. Itch-/- cells were treated with IL-1 and pro-inflammatory polarization was determined. Expression of Itch protein and mRNA in PTOA synovium were assessed at different time points post PTOA.

RESULTS

Similar to Itch-/- mice, MΔItch mice developed more severe joint damage than control mice following PTOA surgery (mean difference of OARSI score: 1.17 (95% CI 0.31-2.03) between MΔItch and Itchfl/fl mice), accompanied by increased the inflammatory macrophage infiltration in the synovium (mean difference of % F4/80 + CD86 + CD36-inflammatory macrophages: 14.81 (95% CI 8.90-20.73) between MΔItch and Itchfl/fl mice). Itch-/- macrophages exerted pro-inflammatory phenotype in response to IL-1β treatment. Itch protein, but not mRNA levels decreased during PTOA progression.

CONCLUSION

The negative regulator of inflammation, Itch, limits PTOA progression by inhibiting macrophage pro-inflammatory polarization. Itch protein degradation may contribute to PTOA pathology.

[The Ophthalmology-centered medical industry in Suzhou in the Ming and the Qing Dynasties - from the Painting Album of Cityscapes and Business]

The Painting Album of Cityscapes and Business was finished in the early Qing Dynasty with realism. This painting album described the prosperity in business and everyday life in Suzhou during the late Ming and the early Qing Dynasties. They were drawn and painted retrospectively, ie, the content of the pictures was based on existing paintings handed down. In the painting album, more than ten medical-related elements were specifically depicted, such as traditional Chinese medicine clinics and pharmacies and seven ophthalmology-related elements including one clinic specialized in ophthalmology, two spectacle shops, two people wearing eyeglasses and three blind people. Up to now, no specialized ophthalmology clinics and spectacle shops have been found in earlier literature and paintings. It can be speculated that the Painting Album of Cityscapes and Business is the earliest album of paintings depicting clinics specialized in ophthalmology and spectacle shops in China. This painting album provides important information for the study of the medical industry in Suzhou in the late Ming and the early Qing Dynasties, particularly, in terms of ophthalmology-related diagnosis and treatment.

Changes of the intestinal microbiota along the gut of Japanese Eel (Anguilla japonica)

Fish intestine contains different types of microbiomes, and bacteria are the dominant microbiota in fishes. Studies have identified various core gut bacteria in fishes. However, little is known about the composition and their relative functions of gut microbial community along the intestine. To explore this, the current study investigated the microbial community distribution along the gut in Anguilla japonica. By 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we profiled the gut microbiota in eel along the three regions (anterior intestine (AI), the middle intestine (MI) and the posterior intestine (PI)). Results suggested that the three regions did not have significant differences on the observed species and diversities. The cluster tree analysis showed that the bacteria community in MI was closer to PI than the AI. The dominant bacteria in AI were the Proteobacteria, in which the majority was graduated replaced by Bacteroidetes along the gut to PI region. Through PICRUSt analysis, shifts in the bacterial community along the gut were found to affect the genetic information processing pathways. Higher levels of translation and transcriptional pathway activities were found in MI and PI than in AI. The dominant bacterial species were different among the regions and contributed to various biological functions along the gut.

Cut-offs for defining uterine prolapse using transperineal ultrasound in Chinese women: prospective multicenter study

OBJECTIVE

Transperineal ultrasound is a simple and highly repeatable method that has been used increasingly in the quantification of pelvic organ prolapse, but abnormal uterine descent on ultrasound in Chinese women is still poorly defined. We aimed to determine the optimal cut-off to define abnormal uterine descent on transperineal ultrasound in Chinese women.

METHODS

This prospective multicenter study recruited women who were examined in tertiary-level gynecological centers, due to symptoms of lower urinary tract and/or pelvic floor dysfunction, between February 2017 and September 2018. All recruited women underwent a standardized interview, pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) examination, and four-dimensional transperineal ultrasound examination. On ultrasound, uterine descent was measured relative to the posteroinferior margin of the symphysis pubis during maximum Valsalva maneuver. The optimal cut-off value for definition of abnormal uterine descent was selected as the value with the highest Youden index and the diagnostic performance of this cut-off for the prediction of prolapse symptoms and POP-Q stage was assessed and compared by means of the area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUC).

RESULTS

In total, 538 Chinese women, with a mean age of 39.4 (range, 18-81) years, were enrolled into the study. Both uterine descent on transperineal ultrasound (P < 0.001) and POP-Q stage (P < 0.001) were associated strongly with presence of prolapse symptoms. Uterine descent on ultrasound was associated significantly with POP-Q stage for apical compartment prolapse (P < 0.001). The optimal cut-off value for the definition of abnormal uterine descent on transperineal ultrasound during maximum Valsalva maneuver in the prediction of prolapse symptoms was 4.79 mm above the symphysis pubis (AUC, 0.75 (95% CI, 0.71-0.78)), while the optimal cut-off values in the prediction of prolapse of POP-Q Stage ≥ 1 and POP-Q Stage ≥ 2 were 6.63 mm above the symphysis pubis (AUC, 0.83 (95% CI, 0.80-0.86)) and 8.42 mm below the symphysis pubis (AUC, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.82-0.88)), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal cut-off value to define abnormal uterine descent on transperineal ultrasound during maximum Valsalva maneuver for the prediction of prolapse symptoms in this population of Chinese women was 4.79 mm above the symphysis pubis, close to that for predicting apical compartment prolapse of POP-Q Stage ≥ 1 (6.63 mm above the symphysis pubis). These are somewhat different from values described previously in mainly Caucasian populations. Ethnic differences should be taken into account in the evaluation of pelvic organ prolapse using transperineal ultrasound. © 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Continuous detection of norovirus and astrovirus in wastewater in a coastal city of China in 2014-2016

Norovirus (NoV) and human astrovirus (HAstV) are important causative agents of acute gastroenteritis in children and adults. They are comprised of multiple genotypes and attention should be paid to genotype changes or emergence of new genetic variants. To study the prevalence and diversity of NoV GI, GII, and HAstV circulating in eastern China, we conducted a three-year environmental surveillance in a coastal city of Yantai. Thirty-six sewage samples were collected, processed, and examined for the presence of viral genomes by PCR. The results showed that NoV GI, GII, and HAstV were detected in all 36 samples. Six NoV GI genotypes, 11 NoV GII genotypes, and 5 HAstV serotypes were identified; GI.6, GII.17, and HAstV-5 were the most prevalent types, respectively. Persistent existence of NoV GII.17 Kawasaki 308 variant was observed during whole study period. Phylogenetic analysis reflected multiple transmission lineages in local population for both viruses. Our results reflect continuous presence of enteric viruses in sewage, improve our understanding on their molecular epidemiology, and demonstrate surveillance on sewage is an effective approach in understanding the local circulation of enteric viruses.

POS1048 IN PHASE-3 TRIALS DISCOVER 1 & 2, GUSELKUMAB REDUCED FATIGUE OVER 52 WEEKS IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS AND DEMONSTRATED INDEPENDENT TREATMENT EFFECTS ON FATIGUE AFTER ADJUSTMENT FOR CLINICAL RESPONSE (ACR20)

Background:

DISCOVER 1 & 2 are phase-3 trials of guselkumab (GUS, an IL-23 inhibitor) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). In both trials, treatment with GUS led to significantly more improvement than placebo (PBO) in the primary endpoint (American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement criteria [ACR20]) and in other measures of arthritis and psoriasis at week (w) 24,1,2 and these improvements were maintained through 1 year of active treatment.3,4

Objectives:

To evaluate the effect of GUS on fatigue in DISCOVER 1 & 2 using the patient reported outcome (PRO) FACIT-Fatigue, which has demonstrated content validity and strong psychometric properties in clinical trials.5

Methods:

DISCOVER 1 & 2 enrolled patients with active PsA, despite non-biologic DMARDS or NSAIDS, who were biologic naïve except ~30% of patients in DISCOVER 1 who had received 1-2 TNFi. Patients were randomized (1:1:1) in a blinded fashion to subcutaneous GUS 100 mg at w0, w4, then every (q) 8w; GUS 100 mg q4w; or matching PBO. At w24, PBO patients were switched to GUS q4w. Concomitant treatment with select non-biologic DMARDS, oral corticosteroids, and NSAIDs was allowed. The FACIT-Fatigue is a 13-item PRO assessing fatigue and its impact on daily activities and function over the past 7 days, total score ranging from 0 to 52, higher score denoting less fatigue. A change of ≥4 points is considered clinically meaningful.5 The change from baseline in FACIT-Fatigue presented below is based on observed data. Mediation analysis6 was applied to the treatment effect of GUS on FACIT-Fatigue to estimate the natural direct and indirect effects, after adjusting for ACR20 response (Table 1).

Results:

At baseline in DISCOVER 1 & 2, the mean FACIT-fatigue scores (SD) were 30.4 (10.4) and 29.7 (9.7), respectively, indicating that patients with PsA experienced fatigue worse than the general population. At w24 in the DISCOVER trials, treatment with GUS led to significant improvements in FACIT-Fatigue scores compared with PBO, as early as w16 in DISCOVER 1 and w8 in DISCOVER 2. Improvements in fatigue were similar between GUS q4w and q8w doses, and the improvements at w24 were maintained through w52 (Figure 1). After a switch to GUS q4w at w24, PBO patients achieved FACIT-Fatigue scores that were comparable to those of GUS patients (Figure 1). 54%-63% of GUS patients compared with 35%-46% of PBO patients achieved clinically meaningful improvement (≥4 points) in FACIT-Fatigue at w24 (P≤0.003). At w52, 61%-70% of both GUS and PBO to GUS groups reached this improvement. As evaluated by mediation analysis at w24, GUS had independent positive treatment effects on fatigue (12%-36% in the q8w GUS dosing group and 69%-70% in the q4w GUS group) after adjustment for ACR20 response (Table 1).

Conclusion:

In 2 phase-3 trials, GUS treatment improved fatigue when compared to PBO during PBO-controlled periods and maintained improvements through 1 year of active treatment. Substantial proportions of those effects were independent of the effects on ACR20, especially for the q4W dosing group.

References:

[1]Deodhar et al. Lancet 2020;395:1115

[2]Mease et al. Lancet 2020;395:1126

[3]Ritchlin et al. EULAR20. SAT0397

[4]McInnes et al. EULAR20. SAT0402

[5]Cella et al. J Patient-Reported Outcomes 2019;3:30

[6]Valeri et al. Psychologic Meth 2013;18:137

Table 1.

Mediation Analysis: Guselkumab Has Direct Effects and Indirect Effects (Mediated through ACR20) on Fatigue in PsA

EffectGUS 100 mg q8w vs. PBO (95% CI)GUS 100 mg q4w vs. PBO (95% CI)DISCOVER-1Total Effect3.1 (1.0, 5.2)(p<0.02)3.8 (1.9, 5.4)(p<0.02)% Direct Effect11.7%68.5%% Indirect effect mediated by ACR2088.3%31.5%DISCOVER-2Total Effect4.0 (2.4, 5.5)(p<0.02)3.6 (2.1, 5.0)(p<0.02)% Direct Effect36.3%69.7%% Indirect effect mediated by ACR2063.7%30.3%

ACR, American College of Rheumatology; CI, confidence interval; GUS, guselkumab; PBO, placebo; PsA, psoriatic arthritis; q4W, every 4 weeks; q8W, every 8 weeks

Disclosure of Interests:

Proton Rahman Speakers bureau: Received speakers fees from Abbott, AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Grant/research support from: Received grant/research support from Janssen and Novartis, consultation fees from Abbott, AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, and Pfizer, Philip Helliwell Consultant of: Consultation fees paid to charity (AbbVie, Amgen, Pfizer, UCB) or himself (Celgene, Galapagos), Grant/research support from: Received grants/research support paid to charity (AbbVie, Janssen, Novartis), Atul Deodhar Speakers bureau: Received speakers fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myer Squibb (BMS), Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: Received consultation fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myer Squibb (BMS), Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Grant/research support from: Received grant/research support from AbbVie, Eli Lilly, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Alexa Kollmeier Shareholder of: Shareholder of Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Employee of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Elizabeth C Hsia Shareholder of: Shareholder of Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Employee of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Bei Zhou Shareholder of: Shareholder of Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Employee of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Xiwu Lin Shareholder of: Shareholder of Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Employee of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Chenglong Han Shareholder of: Shareholder of Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Employee of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Philip J Mease Speakers bureau: Received speakers fees from Abbott, Amgen, Biogen Idec, BMS, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Janssen, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: Received consultation fees from Abbott, Amgen, Biogen Idec, BMS, Celgene Corporation, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun Pharmaceutical, UCB, Grant/research support from: Received grant/research support from Abbott, Amgen, Biogen Idec, BMS, Celgene Corporation, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun Pharmaceutical, UCB.

OP0042 BLOCKING OF CD103+ TISSUE RESIDENT MEMORY T CELLS (TRM) AS A THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY IN SJOGREN’S SYNDROME

Background:

Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM), are a recently identified T cells population featuring tissue localization and expression of markers of tissue homing, CD69 and CD103. Recently, the expansion of CD8+ TRMs and their involvement in the sialadenitis was described in a murine model of SS. However, CD4+ and CD8+ TRM’s functional relevance in pSS is still not fully understood, and the TRM therapeutic targeting unexplored.

Objectives:

The study aimed to address the role of CD4+ and CD8+ TRMs in the pathogenesis of pSS and to explore the therapeutic targeting of the tissue residency marker of TRM CD103.

Methods:

An animal model of experimental (ESS) obtained by immunization of female C57BL/6 mice (n=10) with salivary glands (SG) protein extract and Freund’s complete adjuvant used to investigate the dynamic of infiltration of SG by CD4+ and CD8+ TRMs, their frequency, and the impact of CD103 blockade. For the therapeutic intervention, at 10-weeks post-immunization, the salivary gland was cannulated via Wharton’s duct, and an anti-CD103 neutralizing antibody or vehicle-injected. The mice’s saliva flow rate was assessed, and SGs were analyzed by Flow-cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

The frequency and localization of TRMs was analyzed in minor SG of sicca syndrome (nSS) and pSS patients (n=39) by flow cytometry and IHC. The expression of genes involved in the tissue retention of TRMs was assessed in SG by RT-PCR.

Results:

Upon the ESS progression, a significant progressive increase in CD45+CD103+ cells frequency was observed from 5wk to 20wk post-immunization (p<0.001), where the CD8+ were the most abundant, followed by CD4+. Consistently, CD103+CD8+ T cells were detected within the lymphocytic infiltration of SG from ESS mice. Sorted purified SG CD10+CD3+CD8+ T cells showed higher Granzyme B, TNF-alpha expression compared to CD103-CD3+CD8+ at both mRNA and protein levels. Notably, ESS mice treated with anti-CD103 showed improvement in salivary function (p<0.05) and reduced lymphocytic infiltrations measured as focus score (FS) (p<0.01) and area-fraction (p<0.01). Consistently, anti-CD103 treatment consistently reduced CD103+ cells and IFN-gamma+, Granzyme B+, and TNFa+ CD8+ cells. We next performed phenotypic analysis of CD45+CD103+ immune cells in the SG of pSS patients observing an increase in both with CD8+CD103+CD69+ and CD4+CD103+CD69+ (p<0.05). Finally, IHC showed that the expansion of TRMs in pSS salivary glands was accompanied by a down-regulation of E-cadherin glandular expression and their migration outside the epithelium in the context of inflammatory infiltrates. SG of patients with pSS showed a significant up-regulation of BLIMP1, KFL-2, and S1PR1 and down-regulation of ITGB2. CXCL9 and CXCL10, and IL-15 involved in the tissue recruitment and long-term survival of TRMs were significantly modulated in pSS salivary glands.

Conclusion:

TRM are expanded and activated in the SG of pSS and ESS, participating in the organization of tissue inflammation. Although the mechanisms behind this expansion are still not fully understood, CD103 could be a valuable novel therapeutic target to prevent lymphocytic infiltrations and glandular destruction in Sjogren syndrome.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared