Effect of Huangqin Tang on Urine Metabolic Profile in Rats with Ulcerative Colitis Based on UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS

As a classic prescription, Huangqin Tang (HQT) has been widely applied to treat ulcerative colitis (UC), although its pharmacological mechanisms are not clear. In this study, urine metabolomics was first analysed to explore the therapeutic mechanisms of HQT in UC rats induced by TNBS. We identified 28 potential biomarkers affected by HQT that might cause changes in urine metabolism in UC rats, mapped the network of metabolic pathways, and revealed how HQT affects metabolism of UC rats. The results showed that UC affects amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and impairs the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle). UC induced inflammatory and gastrointestinal reactions by inhibiting the transport of fatty acids and disrupting amino acid metabolism. HQT plays key roles via regulating the level of biomarkers in the metabolism of amino acids, lipids, and so on, normalizing metabolic disorders. In addition, histopathology and other bioinformatics analysis further confirm that HQT altered UC rat physiology and pathology, ultimately affecting metabolic function of UC rats.

Groundwater pollution source apportionment using principal component analysis in a multiple land-use area in southwestern China

Identification of different pollution sources in groundwater is challenging, especially in areas with diverse land uses and receiving multiple inputs. In this study, principal component analysis (PCA) was combined with geographic information system (GIS) to explore the spatial and temporal variation of groundwater quality and to identify the sources of pollution and main factors governing the quality of groundwater in a multiple land-use area in southwestern China. Groundwater samples collected from 26 wells in 2012 and 38 wells in 2018 were analyzed for 13 water quality parameters. The PCA results showed that the hydro-geochemical process was the predominant factor determining groundwater quality, followed by agricultural activities, domestic sewage discharges, and industrial sewage discharges. Agriculture expansion from 2012 to 2018 resulted in increased apportionment of agricultural pollution. In contrast, economic restructure and infrastructure improvement reduced the contributions of domestic sewage and industrial pollution. Anthropogenic activities were found the major causes of elevated nitrogen concentrations (NO₃^-, NO₂^-, NH₄⁺) in groundwater, highlighting the necessity of controlling N sources through effective fertilizer managements in agricultural areas and reducing sewage discharges in urban areas. The applications of GIS and PCA successfully identified the sources of pollutants and major factors driving the variations of groundwater quality in tested years.

Non-ambulatory dogs with cervical intervertebral disc herniation: single versus multiple ventral slot decompression

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the proportion of non-ambulatory dogs with cervical intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) in a private clinic and to compare signalment and outcome between those that underwent single or multiple ventral slot decompression (VSD).

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

After screening 43,378 medical records (January 2010-September 2016), those of 185 dogs with non-ambulatory tetraparesis or tetraplegia along with cervical IVDH that had undergone single (123) or multiple (62) VSD were included in this study. Data on signalment, preoperative neurological status, location of affected intervertebral disc(s), time to ambulation and short-term outcome were compared between single and multiple VSD groups.

RESULTS

The proportion of non-ambulatory dogs with IVDH was 35.3%. The prevalence of non-ambulation was higher in male dogs (0.56%) than in female dogs (0.26%; P < 0.001) and in neutered dogs than in unneutered dogs (0.51% and 0.27%, respectively, P < 0.001). After surgery, 96.2% of the dogs reached ambulatory status. Dogs with multiple IVDH were older than those with single IVDH. Sex, neutering status or size did not affect the outcome or ambulation status postsurgery. The Pekingese was the most commonly affected breed in both groups. There was no difference in the time to reach ambulation and the presence of neurological deficits after surgery between dogs that underwent single and multiple VSD.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, dogs undergoing multiple VSD had a good postoperative outcome, and their short-term functional recovery was equal to that of dogs undergoing single ventral slot compression.

Interactive effects of dietary vitamin K3 and Bacillus subtilis PB6 on the growth performance and tibia quality of broiler chickens with sex separate rearing

Both vitamin K and probiotics can promote the bone health of poultry and mammals. The present study was conducted to investigate the interactive effects between vitamin K3 (VK3) and Bacillus subtilis PB6 on the growth performance and tibia quality of broiler chickens with sex separate rearing. In a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, 720 one-day-old broiler chicks (Arbor Acres) were assigned to 12 groups with three levels of dietary VK3 (0, 0.5 and 4.0 mg/kg), with or without probiotic supplementation (500 g/t) and with sex separation (male and female). Each group included 3 replicates with 20 birds per replicate. During day 1 to 21, 0.5 and 4.0 mg/kg of VK3 increased average daily gain (ADG) of all birds and average daily feed intake of male birds (P < 0.05). During day 22 to 42, probiotic supplementation increased the ADG of birds (P < 0.05). Probiotic addition increased the weight, length, diameter and strength of tibia in all birds, and 0.5 and 4.0 mg/kg of VK3 increased the tibial breaking strength of male birds at day 21 (P < 0.05). Vitamin K3 and probiotic synergistically increased tibial breaking strength at day 42 and ash content at day 21 (P < 0.05). Three factors exhibited interactive effects on the chemical composition of tibia at day 42, and female birds fed 4 mg/kg of VK3 and probiotic had the highest contents of ash, calcium and phosphorus (P < 0.05). Bacillus subtilis PB6 increased the serum phosphorus level of male birds at day 21 and serum calcium level of female ones at day 42 (P < 0.05). At day 21, in the probiotic-supplemented birds, serum osteocalcin (OCN) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) were increased by 0 and 4.0 mg/kg of VK3, respectively (P < 0.05). Probiotic increased serum OCN and cooperated with VK3 to increase the serum BALP at day 42 (P < 0.05). Vitamin K3 and probiotic synergistically down-regulated the mRNA expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 and OCN at day 21 (P < 0.05). Vitamin K3 down-regulated the alkaline phosphatase (liver/bone/kidney) expression in male birds at day 21 and 42, but probiotic up-regulated the expression of these genes at day 42 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, VK3 and B. subtilis PB6 promoted the growth performance of broilers during starter and grower phases, respectively. They synergistically improved the physical and chemical traits of tibias, especially in grower phase, by modulating calcium and phosphorus metabolism as well as osteogenic gene expression.

Optimized PCR-Based Enrichment Improves Coverage Uniformity and Mutation Detection in Mitochondrial DNA Next-Generation Sequencing

Next-generation sequencing-based methods have been commonly used for detecting mutations of mitochondrial genome (mtDNA). PCR amplification is a highly effective method of mtDNA enrichment before sequencing. However, it has been observed that highly variable sequencing depth within PCR amplicons severely reduces the coverage uniformity and accuracy of mutation calling. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an optimized PCR-based strategy for mtDNA sequencing. Herein, the effect of DNA quality on the efficiency of PCR amplification was analyzed and the effects of different primer-design methods, including the number of primer pairs, overlap length of amplicons, and modification of primers, on coverage uniformity and mutation calling in mtDNA sequencing were assessed. Results showed that DNA quality significantly affected the efficiency of PCR amplification. Importantly, over- and under-representation of coverage depth at overlap regions of amplicons were observed when amplicons were not modified and overlap was shorter than two sequencing fragment sizes (800 bp). Then, under-representation was overcome by increasing the overlap length of the amplicons, and over-representation was effectively reduced by 5'-block modification of primers and sticky-end ligation of amplicons. Moreover, findings indicated that these two optimized PCR-based sequencing strategies effectively improved mutation calling in primer-binding regions. Optimized PCR-based mtDNA enrichment and sequencing approaches have been established, which laid a foundation for accurate mutation detection of mtDNA in diseases.

FBW7 inhibits nucleus pulposus cells proliferation by downregulation of cyclin E in the intervertebral disc degeneration

OBJECTIVE

TF-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7 (FBW7), a component of SCF ubiquitin ligase complex, usually acts as a tumor suppressor because it has an ability in the inhibition of cell proliferation. Nevertheless, the role of FBW7 in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is not quite understood.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The total protein and RNA were isolated from patients' disc tissues. WB was carried out to analyze the collagen II and FBW7 protein levels of different Pfirrmann grades disc degeneration. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to test the collagen II and FBW7 mRNA expression in these disc samples. NP cells were transfected with siRNA-FWB7 to downregulate the FBW7 expression. SiRNA-NC was used as the sham group. Cyclin E, E2F1, and E2F2 were analyzed with WB and RT-PCR.

RESULTS

In this study, different kinds of degenerated disc tissues were analyzed, and it was found that FBW7 was overexpressed in much severe degeneration condition, which was also proved by the IL-1β stimuli nucleus pulposus (NP) cells degeneration model in vitro. Interestingly, the results showed that FBW7 suppression could reverse the degeneration of NP cells. Furthermore, we found that FBW7 induced NP cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase of and inhibited cell proliferation by upregulating p27 expression in vitro. The overexpression of p27 resulted in the inhibition of cyclin E, which promotes cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our study uncovered that FBW7 played an essential inhibitory role in NP cells proliferation, providing new insights that FBW7 may be a potential strategy for IDD treatments.

Antiviral activity of iridoid glycosides extracted from Fructus Gardeniae against influenza A virus by PACT-dependent suppression of viral RNA replication

Epidemic and pandemic influenza A virus (IAV) poses a significant threat to human populations worldwide. Iridoid glycosides are principal bioactive components from the Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis fruit that exhibit antiviral activity against several strains of IAV. In the present study, we evaluated the protective effect of Fructus Gardeniae iridoid glycoside extracts (IGEs) against IAV by cytopathogenic effect(CPE), MTT and a plaque formation assay in vitro and examined the reduction in the pulmonary index (PI), restoration of body weight, reduction in mortality and increases in survival time in vivo. As a host factor, PACT provides protection against the pathogenic influenza A virus by interacting with IAV polymerase and activating the IFN-I response. To verify the whether IGEs suppress IAV replication in a PACT-dependent manner, IAV RNA replication, expression of PACT and the phosphorylation of eIF2α in A549 cells were detected; the levels of IFNβ, PACT and PKR in mouse lung tissues were determined; and the activity of IAV polymerase was evaluated in PACT-compromised cells. The results indicated that IGEs sufficiently alleviated cell damage and suppressed IAV replication in vitro, protecting mice from IAV-induced injury and lethal IAV infection. These anti-IAV effects might be related to disrupted interplay between IVA polymerase and PACT and/or prevention of a PACT-dependent overactivated IFN-I antiviral response. Taken together, our findings reveal a new facet of the mechanisms by which IGEs fight the influenza A virus in a PACT-dependent manner.

Isolation and characterization of Streptococcus suis strains from swine in Jiangsu province, China

AIMS

The aim of this study is to investigate Streptococcus suis strains present in Jiangsu province, China.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In all, 1650 nasal and anal swab samples and 100 tonsils were collected from clinically healthy swine. Culture characteristics, colony morphology and PCR-based analysis of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) gene were performed for S. suis identification, and eight isolates were confirmed to be S. suis. The isolates serogroups were identified by agglutinating test, including 4, 7, 3, 5 and 8. Gene profiling by PCR showed that the manN, purD, orf2, gdh genes were conserved among the isolates and that 50% of the isolates carried dltA, pgdA, srtA and sspA. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed the isolates displayed resistance to clindamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, penicillin G, vancomycin and linezolid; while none was resistant to chloramphenicol, multi-drug resistance was seen in most of the isolates. Finally, the LD₅₀ (assessed by zebrafish) of isolates RD105 was 2·6431 × 10⁵ and HA24 was 7·1198 × 10⁶ , which showed RD105 more virulent and was consistent with the results of virulence factor identification.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a very low proportion of S. suis in the healthy pigs. The virulence factors were related to pathogenicity. Bacteria in Nantong possess greater virulence potential than those in Huaian.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Systematic investigation of S. suis provided the most basic theoretical support for the prevention and control of swine streptococcosis.

Imaging perturbed shock propagation in powders

A novel experimental methodology is presented to study the deviatoric response of powders in shock regimes. The powders are confined to a cylindrical wedge volume, and a projectile-driven shock wave with a sinusoidally varying front propagates through the powder. The perturbed shock wave exhibits a damping behavior due to irreversible processes of viscosity and strength (deviatoric) of the powder with propagation through increasing powder thicknesses. The inclined surface of the wedge is polished and coated to establish a diffuse surface suitable for reflecting incident laser light into a high-speed camera imaging at 5 MHz. Images of the contrast loss upon shock wave arrival at the observation surface are post-processed for qualitative and quantitative information. New data of shock damping behavior with parameters of perturbation wavelength and initial shock strength are presented for powders of copper, tantalum, and tungsten carbide as well as their mixtures. We present the first full-field images showing additional spatial disturbances on the perturbed shock front that appear dependent on particle material and morphology.

Crosstalk Between Acid Sphingomyelinase and Inflammasome Signaling and Their Emerging Roles in Tissue Injury and Fibrosis

Inflammasomes are a group of protein complexes that are assembled by pattern recognition receptors following the recognition of invading pathogens or host-derived danger signals. Inflammasomes such as NLRP3 mediate the activation of caspase-1 and the production of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-18 and IL-1β. Regulation of inflammasome signaling is critical for host defense against infections and maintenance of cellular homeostasis upon exposure to multiple harmful stimuli. Recent studies have highlighted an important role of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) in regulating inflammasome activation. ASM hydrolyzes sphingomyelin to ceramide, which further fuses to large ceramide-enriched platforms functioning in stabilizing and amplifying molecules and receptors. Here, we will discuss the current understanding of the ASM-ceramide system in inflammasome activation, and how it contributes to multiple diseases. Insights into such mechanisms would pave the way for further exploration of novel diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic targets against tissue injury and fibrosis.

Impacts of exercise interventions on different diseases and organ functions in mice

Background

In recent years, much evidence has emerged to indicate that exercise can benefit people when performed properly. This review summarizes the exercise interventions used in studies involving mice as they are related to special diseases or physiological status. To further understand the effects of exercise interventions in treating or preventing diseases, it is important to establish a template for exercise interventions that can be used in future exercise-related studies.

Methods

PubMed was used as the data resource for articles. To identify studies related to the effectiveness of exercise interventions for treating various diseases and organ functions in mice, we used the following search language: (exercise [Title] OR training [Title] OR physical activity [Title]) AND (mice [title/abstract] OR mouse [title/abstract] OR mus [title/abstract]). To limit the range of search results, we included 2 filters: one that limited publication dates to "in 10 years" and one that sorted the results as "best match". Then we grouped the commonly used exercise methods according to their similarities and differences. We then evaluated the effectiveness of the exercise interventions for their impact on diseases and organ functions in 8 different systems.

Results

A total of 331 articles were included in the analysis procedure. The articles were then segmented into 8 systems for which the exercise interventions were used in targeting and treating disorders: motor system (60 studies), metabolic system (45 studies), cardio-cerebral vascular system (58 studies), nervous system (74 studies), immune system (32 studies), respiratory system (7 studies), digestive system (1 study), and the system related to the development of cancer (54 studies). The methods of exercise interventions mainly involved the use of treadmills, voluntary wheel-running, forced wheel-running, swimming, and resistance training. It was found that regardless of the specific exercise method used, most of them demonstrated positive effects on various systemic diseases and organ functions. Most diseases were remitted with exercise regardless of the exercise method used, although some diseases showed the best remission effects when a specific method was used.

Conclusion

Our review strongly suggests that exercise intervention is a cornerstone in disease prevention and treatment in mice. Because exercise interventions in humans typically focus on chronic diseases, national fitness, and body weight loss, and typically have low intervention compliance rates, it is important to use mice models to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the health benefits from exercise interventions in humans.

A Frailty Screening Questionnaire (FSQ) to Rapidly Predict Negative Health Outcomes of Older Adults in Emergency Care Settings

BACKGROUND

Frailty, at the core of geriatric medicine, is an important concept underpinning health problems but the rapid and valid measurement of frailty for older adults in the Emergency Department (ED) is lacking in China. The Frailty Screening Questionnaire (FSQ), has been shown to be a simple, rapid and practical tool to identify frailty in both community and inpatients settings, yet its utility in acute care settings is not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether FSQ is useful to identify frailty and predict adverse outcomes in an emergency care setting.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

This prospective study included 350 adults aged 60 and over and admitted to the ED.

MEASUREMENTS

The FSQ questionnaire which assessed self-reported slowness, weakness, inactivity, exhaustion, and weight loss was used to rapidly recognize frailty. FRAIL, Clinical frailty score (CFS), activities of daily living (ADL) and nutrition risk screening 2002 were also assessed. Outcome measures included all-cause 28-day mortality, ADL dependency, mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, and ICU readmissions 30 and 90 days after discharge. Cox proportional hazard model was used for survival comparison.

RESULTS

The prevalence of FSQ frailty and prefrailty in older adults were 44.6% and 30.9% respectively in the emergency setting. FSQ frailty was associated with increasing age, chronic diseases, malnutrition risk, poor physical function and worse outcomes indicated by higher 28-d mortality, ADL dependency, mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, and ICU readmissions after discharge. The Kappa coefficient between the FSQ and FRAIL was 0.552. FSQ score was negatively correlated with grip strength and positively correlated with Barthel index, length of hospital stay and CFS score. Cox regression adjusted by epidemiological variables and chronic diseases showed FSQ and all components predicted mortality except weight loss.

CONCLUSION

The FSQ is a rapid and useful tool to screen frailty and an effective tool to predict mortality in busy emergency settings.

Characteristics of Physical Fitness and Cardiometabolic Risk in Chinese University Students with Normal-Weight Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

To (i) describe the characteristics of physical fitness and cardiometabolic risk in Chinese university students with normal-weight obesity (NWO); (ii) assess the association between NWO with physical fitness and cardiometabolic risk.

METHODS

A total of 249 participants from the 2018 Shanghai University of Sport Alumni Health Cohort Study in China formed the study cohort. NWO was defined as normal body mass index (17.9-23.9 kg/m² for males; 17.2-23.9 kg/m² for females) but with excess body-fat percentage (≥20% for males; ≥30% for females). Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical-fitness scores were calculated from a battery of sex-specific tests. Cardiometabolic risk was calculated using a continuous clustered risk (MetS) score.

RESULTS

We found that 16.7% of male and 45.3% of female university students were classified as having NWO. Participants with NWO showed worse cardiorespiratory fitness than those with normal weight (NW) (male NWO (37±8) vs male NW (41±6) mL/kg/min, p<0.01; female NWO (31±4) vs female NW (33±6) mL/kg/min, p<0.01). NWO was associated negatively with the fitness score (OR = 0.853; 95% CI = 0.793-0.917) and was associated positively with the MetS score (1.280; 1.162-1.410).

CONCLUSION

University students with NWO were characterized by higher cardiometabolic risk and lower levels of physical fitness. Our findings implied that university students with NWO should be mindful of the potential hidden health risks of excess body fat and participate in exercise to enhance physical fitness.

Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation on transition metal modified TiO2 nanosheets under simulated sunlight

Transition metal modified TiO₂ was synthesized using a microwave assisted hydrothermal method for efficient photocatalytic nitrogen fixation under simulated sunlight.

Ecological Security Assessment Based on Ecological Footprint Approach in Hulunbeir Grassland, China

Hulunbeir grassland, as a crucial ecological barrier and energy supply base in northwest China, suffers from a fragile ecological environment. Therefore, it is crucially important for Hulunbeir grassland to achieve the sustainable development of its social economies and ecological environments through the evaluation of its ecological security. This paper introduces the indexes of the ecological pressure index (EPI), ecological footprint diversity index (EFDI), and ecological coordination coefficient (ECC) based on the ecological footprint model. Furthermore, the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model was applied to analyze the main driving factors of the change of the ecological footprint. The results showed that: The ecological footprint (EF) per capita of Hulunbeir grassland has nearly doubled in 11 years to 11.04 ha/cap in 2016, while the ecological capacity (EC) per capita was rather low and increased slowly, leading to a continuous increase of per capita ecological deficit (ED) (from 5.7113 ha/cap to 11.0937 ha/cap). Within this, the footprint of fossil energy land and grassland contributed the most to the total EF, and forestland and cropland played the major role in EC. The EPI increased from 0.82 in 2006 to 1.25 in 2016, leading the level of ecological security to increase from level 3 (moderately safe) to level 4 (moderately risky). The indexes of the EFDI and ECC both reached a minimum in 2014 and then began to rise, indicating that Hulunbeir steppe’s ecological environment, as well as its coordination with economy, was considered to be worse in 2014 but then gradually ameliorated. The STIRPAT model indicated that the main factors driving the EF increase were per capita GDP and the proportion of secondary industry, while the decrease of unit GDP energy consumption played an effective role in curbing the continuous growth of the EF. These findings not only have realistic significance in promoting the coordinated development between economy and natural resource utilization under the constraint of fragile environment, but also provide a scientific reference for similar energy-rich ecologically fragile regions.

Evaluation of MASTDISCS combi Carba plus for the identification of metallo-β-lactamases, KPC and OXA-48 carbapenemase genes in Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates

The increasing frequency of class A KPC enzymes, class B metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) and class D OXA-48 enzymes in Enterobacteriaceae makes their early identification urgent. A simple commercial MASTDISCS combi Carba plus disc system (MAST-Carba plus) was designed for the identification of MBLs, KPC and OXA-48 carbapenemase genes in Enterobacteriaceae. To validate the MAST-Carba plus, a total of 77 isolates of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) and 84 isolates of noncarbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (non-CPE) were selected for differentiation of the genes of Enterobacteriaceae by MAST-Carba plus. Meanwhile, the carbapenemase genes such as bla_KPC , bla_IMP , bla_VIM , bla_NDM-1 and bla_OXA-48 were detected by PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Thus, when considered on the basis of PCR results, the sensitivity of MAST-Carba plus detection of KPC strains is 82·3%, the specificity is 100·0%, the positive predictive value is 100·0% and the negative predictive value is 92·4%. For MBLs strains, the sensitivity is 100·0%, the specificity is 97·1%, the positive predictive value is 84·6% and the negative predictive value is 100·0%. For OXA-48 strains, the sensitivity is 100·0%, the specificity is 99·4%, the positive predictive value is 80·0% and the negative predictive value is 100·0%. Our findings suggest that MAST-Carba plus is a rapid and promising method for identifying the MBLs, KPC and OXA-48 carbapenemase genes in Enterobacteriaceae, which could be exploited in basic microbiology laboratory to prevent the transmission of CPE. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Not only detection of carbapenemases but also identification of their genes accurately and rapidly in Enterobacteriaceae is still a major challenge for clinical laboratories in order to prevent the transmission of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of a new rapid method (MASTDISCS combi Carba plus) for the identification of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), KPC and OXA-48 carbapenemase genes in Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates.

A bi-level multiobjective stochastic approach for supporting environment-friendly agricultural planting strategy formulation

In this study, integration of analytic hierarchy process method and entropy method (AHP-EW) for quantifying the knowledge and experience accumulated by regional managers as well as the socioeconomic situation, the partial least squares regression (PLS) for reflecting the relationship between irrigation water use efficiency and agronomic inputs, and the ecosystem service value for measuring environmental impacts of changing crop planting area were considered in one framework simultaneously. With help of these efforts, a bi-level multiobjective stochastic approach to improve irrigation water use efficiency and decrease the pollution production of agronomic measures in the process of agricultural production. The proposed framework integrate bi-level multiobjective programming and stochastic expectation programming to not only make tradeoffs among multiple concerns from two-level decision makers, but also deal with the randomness of runoff. Then, the proposed approach was applied to a real-world case in the middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, northwest China. Results show that the developed approach can improve irrigation water use efficiency, reduce CO₂ emission, expand ecosystem service values, and provide more profitable and environment-friendly agricultural planting strategies to decision makers, which can further contribute to the sustainable development of agriculture. Furthermore, by comparing the bi-level multiobjective stochastic programming (BMSP) model with the other six models originated from developed model, it can be found that 1) the single objective model can obtain the best value of that objective, but cannot readily consider other important aspects; 2) the multiobjective models can make tradeoffs among multiple objectives; 3) the BMSP model can reflect the leader-follower relationship in the optimization process. The approach is applicable for arid and semiarid regions that face similar problems to determine agricultural planting strategies.

T1-2N1M0 triple-negative breast cancer patients from the SEER database showed potential benefit from post-mastectomy radiotherapy

The effects of post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) on different subtypes of T1-2N1M0 breast cancer remain controversial. Patients with T1-2N1M0 breast cancer treated by mastectomy or mastectomy and PMRT were identified from the 2010–2013 dataset from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry. A total of 7,466 patients with the 7th American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (Tumor-Node-Metastasis stages 1–2, 1 and 0, respectively) including 2,760 cases (36.97%) treated by mastectomy and PMRT and 4,706 cases (63.03%) treated by mastectomy alone were analyzed in this study. The follow-up time for patients in the dataset used from the SEER registry was 0–59 months. The breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) of the patients was derived from the SEER dataset and stratified by treatment approach. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis (experimental group: Control group ratio, 1:1) was conducted. Using univariate and multivariate analyses Cox proportional hazards analyses, PMRT was identified as an independent prognostic factor for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Before PSM analysis, the BCSS favored PMRT in the hormone receptor (HR)⁺/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)⁺ (P=0.025) and HR⁻/HER2⁻ groups (P=0.010) but not in the HR⁺/HER2⁻ (P=0.346) and HR⁻/HER2⁺ (P=0.288) groups. Following PSM analysis, BCSS favored PMRT alone in the TNBC (HR⁻/HER2⁻) group (P=0.025). Patients with T1-2N1M0 TNBC may benefit from radiotherapy post-mastectomy.

[The association of Bcl-2 gene polymorphism with the esophageal cancer and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma in Hebei Province]

Objective: To investigate the association between the promoter region-938 polymorphism of B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) gene and the esophageal cancer (EC) and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) in Hebei Province. Methods: From 2007 to 2010, 145 esophageal cancer patients and 169 cardiaccancer patientsfrom the outpatient department of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical Universitywereselected in a case group, and 195 non-tumor patients were selected in a control group during the same period. A questionnaire survey was used to collect information of research subjects. Pathological tissues were collected to extract genomic DNA and detect the genotype of bcl-2 gene -938. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between the bcl-2 gene locus 938 CC genotype and the EC and GCA. The interaction between age, gender, smoking, drinking, upper gastrointestinal family history and the bcl-2 gene locus 938 CC genotype was analyzed by likelihood ratio test. Results: The age of the esophageal and cardiac cancer groups was (56.3±8.3) and (57.1±8.4) years old, and that of the control group was (54.7±7.1) years old. The proportion of the bcl-2 gene locus 938 CC genotype in the esophageal group [48.3% (70/145)] and the cardiac cancer group [48.5% (82/169)] was higher than that in the control group [33.8% (66/195)] (both P values<0.05).Compared with the AA genotype, the risk of esophageal cancer and cardiac cancerin people with the CC genotype was 2.386 (1.20-4.76) and 2.564 (1.27-5.18) respectively. In the population with CC genotype, compared with the positive family history, drinking, and male, the negative family history, non-drinking, and female had a higher risk of esophageal cancer; compared with the non-smoking, negative family history, non-drinking and male, the smoking, positive family history, drinking, and female had a higher risk of cardiac cancer (all the P interaction values were <0.05). Conclusion: People with bcl-2 gene locus 938 CC genotype in Hebei Provincewere more likely to suffer from the esophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma.

Ultrasound-Guided Continuous Radiofrequency Ablation Of Painful Residual Limb Neuroma In Individuals With Limb Amputation-A Retrospective Case Series

BACKGROUND

Residual limb neuromas are a significant cause of post-amputation pain. There is little knowledge concerning ultrasound-guided (US) radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate US-guided RFA for neuroma associated pain in individuals with limb amputation.

METHODOLOGY

The notes of nine consecutive patients were retrospectively reviewed. Information obtained included neuroma size and nerve, RFA duration/temperature, pain scores, analgesic requirements and ease/comfort of prosthetic use. Eight patients had lower-limb amputations and one had a trans-radial amputation. All except one, underwent diagnostic US-guided steroid injection to confirm the neuroma as the source of pain, prior to RFA.

RESULTS

Six patients reported significant reduction in pain scores (defined as at least 50% reduction) and an improvement in comfort/ease of wearing their prosthetic limb, with no adverse effects. Three of these six patients also reported a reduction in analgesic requirements. Of the three remaining patients - one had a large sciatic nerve neuroma that was eventually surgically excised, another had confounding pain from an adjacent bony spur, whilst the third patient did not receive a routine diagnostic steroid injection prior to RFA.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that US-guided RFA is safe and effective for small to medium-sized residual limb neuroma associated pain in individuals with limb amputation. It can reduce pain and analgesic requirements, improve comfort/ease of wearing the prosthesis and potentially avoid surgical excision. We recommend patients should undergo a diagnostic steroid injection prior to RFA to confirm that the neuroma is the source of pain.

A recurrent giant retroperitoneal myxoid liposarcoma: a case report and literature review

Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLS) is a very rare type of tumor, accounting for less than 1% of all malignancies, especially the “large retroperitoneal liposarcoma” (GRPLS) of more than 20 kg (kilograms). Herein, we describe the treatment experience in a case of recurrent GRPLS. A 70-year-old woman was admitted with an enlarged abdomen, and computed tomography (CT) showed a large, low-density, homogeneous retroperitoneal mass (40×37×26 cm). In laparotomy, this 55×40×20 cm liposarcoma was completely removed and pathologically diagnosed as low-grade myxoid liposarcoma. The patient did not receive any adjuvant therapy, and CT showed no evidence of recurrence during follow-up.

An Automatic Stationary Water Color Parameters Observation System for Shallow Waters: Designment and Applications

Measurements of the above-water spectrum and concerned water color parameters (WCPs) are crucial for research and applications in water environment remote sensing. Due to the lack of system integration and automatization, conventional methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to subjective influences. To obtain a highly accurate and long-term consistent spectrum and concurrent WCPs (Chl-a (chlorophyll-a), turbidity, and CDOM (Colored Dissolved Organic Matter)) data with a relatively low cost, an Automatic Stationary Water Color Parameters Observation System (AFWCPOS) was developed. Controlled by an automatic platform, the spectral and WCPs data were collected by TriOS RAMSES hyperspectral spectroradiometers and WETLabs ECO (Environmental Characterization Optics) fluorometers following the measurement protocol. Experiment and initial validations of AFWCPOS were carried out in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, from 20 to 28 July 2013. Results proved that the spectral data from AFWCPOS were highly consistent with the commonly used portable SVC (Spectra Vista Corporation) HR-1024 field spectroradiometer, with the coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.96, unbiased percent difference (UPD) of 0.14, and mean relative difference (MRD) of 0.078. With advantages of continuous and high degrees of automation monitoring, the AFWCPOS has great potential in capture diurnal and inter-diurnal variations in the test site of Poyang Lake, as well as another high-dynamic shallow coastal and inland waters, which will benefit routine water quality monitoring with high quality and high-frequency time-series observations. In addition, a successful case based on Landsat 8 OLI (Operational Land Imager) image and in-situ data collected by AFWCPOS showed it’s potential in remote sensing applications. The spatial distribution of Chl-a, turbidity, and CDOM were mapped, which were explainable and similar to previous researches. These results showed our system was able to obtain reliable and valuable data for water environment monitoring.

5033Effect of intraoperative hybrid surgery on incidence of CPB-AKI in children Congenital heart disease patients: a propensity score matched study

Objective

Cardiopulmonary bypass-associated acute kidney injury (CPB-AKI) is a frequent complication after cardiac surgery in children patients. Intraoperative hybrid cardiac surgery (IPH) is a new technique which needed contrast administration. Contrast was also reported to induce AKI. Therefore, we hypothesized that the IPH would increase the occurrence of CPB-AKI in children Congenital heart disease patients.

Methods

A total of 1509 consecutive patients (age≤3 year) undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery were enrolled in this study from November, 2017 to May, 2018. Multivariate logistic regression was performed in this retrospective study. Propensity score matched analysis was applied for confounding factors. Perioperative and interoperative characteristics and outcomes in IHP group with or without AKI are compared. CPB-AKI was determined by serum Creatinine (SCr) increased twice as much as preoperative or need dialysis within 7 days postoperatively.

Result

IPH was found to be an independent risks factor in the development of CPB-AKI development (OR 2.798, 95% CI 1.823–4.296, p<0.001). Other independent risk factors for CSA-AKI were: CPB time >100 min (OR 2.068, 95% CI 1.521–2.811, P<0.001), weight≤5 kg (OR 3.409, 95% CI 2.192–5.302, P<0.001). Cohort analysis revealed that AKI occurred more frequently in the IPH group before and after matching (30.4% vs. 12.97%, P<0.001; 32.2% vs. 18.3% %, P=0.015, respectively). IPH group also had higher prolonged length of postoperative stay in the hospital (11 vs 7.5, P<0.001; 10.9 vs 7.7, p=0.01), and higher length of mechanical ventilation support (27 vs 10, P<0.001; 26 vs 16, <0.001) before and after matching. Perioperative and interoperative characteristics and outcomes of patients with or without AKI are compared. Only CPB duration was an independent factor for AKI in IPH group.

Comparison of outcomes Variablesa Without PSM PSM IPH group (n=128) No IPH group (n=1381) P IPH group (n=117) No IHP group (n=117) P Median LOSPHOS (days) 11 (8.0, 13.0) 7.4 (6.5, 10.6) <0.001d 11.0 (8.0, 13.0) 7.5 (6.5, 14.7) <0.001d Median LOSMV (hours) 27 (19.0, 71.0) 10 (5, 24) <0.001d 27.0 (18.0, 71.0) 17 (3.0, 49.0) <0.001d Overall mortality n (%) 0 (0%) 14 (1.0%) 0.252c 0 (0%) 2 (1.7%) 0.156c Dialysis, n (%) 3 (2.4%) 23 (1.6%) 0.573c 3 (2.6%) 6 (2.6%) 1.000c AKI, n (%) 39 (30.4%) 176 (12.7%) <0.001b 37 (31.6%) 21 (17.9%) 0.015b aLOSPOHOS: length of postoperative stay in hospital; LOSMV: length of mechanical ventilation; CPB: cardiopulmonary bypass. bχ2 test. cFisher's exact test. dRank sum test.

Study flow

Conclusion

IPH was associated with a higher incidence of CPB-AKI.

Cerebral Damage after Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Longitudinal Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Previous DTI cross-sectional studies have showed the cerebral damage feature was different in the three clinical stages after carbon monoxide poisoning. Diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) is an advanced diffusion imaging model and considered to better provide microstructural contrast in comparison with DTI parameters. The primary aim of this study was to assess microstructural changes in gray and white matter with diffusional kurtosis imaging in the acute, delayed neuropsychiatric, and chronic phases after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The secondary aim was to relate diffusional kurtosis imaging measures to neuropsychiatric outcomes of acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In all, 17 patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Patients were scanned within 1 week, 3-8 weeks, and 6 months after acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Diffusional kurtosis imaging metrics including mean kurtosis, mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, and kurtosis fractional anisotropy were measured in 11 ROIs and then further correlated with neuropsychiatric scores.

RESULTS

In WM, mean kurtosis tended to increase from the acute-to-delayed neuropsychiatric phases and then decrease in the chronic phase, while in GM mean kurtosis showed a constant decline. Contrary to mean kurtosis, mean diffusivity first decreased then tended to increase in WM, while in GM, from the acute to chronic phases, mean diffusivity showed a constant increase. In both WM and GM, the fractional anisotropy and kurtosis fractional anisotropy values progressively declined with time. Kurtosis fractional anisotropy showed the best diagnostic efficiency with an area under the curve of 0.812 (P = .000). Along with neuropsychiatric scores, kurtosis fractional anisotropy of the centrum semiovale and Digit Span Backward were most relevant (r = 0.476, P = .000).

CONCLUSIONS

Longitudinally, microstructural changes were inconsistent in WM and GM with time after acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Diffusional kurtosis imaging metrics provided important complementary information to quantify the damage to cognitive impairment.

[The role of neutrophil in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis]

SummaryChronic nasal-sinusitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by persistent inflammation in the nasal and nasal mucosa. The pathogenesis of CRS is extremely complex and there is currently a lack of effective therapy. The reason for inaccurate diagnosis and invalid treatment of CRS is its sophisticated and unclear mechanism. The pathogenesis of CRS from Asian populations is neutrophil infiltration mediated by Th1/Th17 mixture. Consequently, exploring the function of neutrophil in the pathogenesis of CRS plays an important role in clinical diagnosis and treatment for CRS patients in China.

Molecular cloning, characterisation, and expression analysis of adipocyte fatty acid binding protein gene in Xupu goose (Anser cygnoides domesticus)

1. Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) plays a key role in fatty acid uptake and intracellular transport. The objective of the present study was to identify and characterise the A-FABP gene in Xupu goose.2. The full-length cDNA of goose A-FABP gene was cloned from the liver tissue using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The distribution of the goose A-FABP in different tissues was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).3. The results showed that the full-length cDNA sequence of goose A-FABP was 657 bp, containing a 5'-UTR of 52 bp, a 3'-UTR of 206 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) of 399 bp, which encoded a polypeptide of 132 amino acids (AA).4. The AA sequence of goose A-FABP showed 76.52%, 75.00%, 93.18% and 99.24% identities with previously described homologues from humans (Homo sapiens), mouse (Mus musculus), chicken (Gallus gallus), and duck (Anas platyrhynchos), respectively, and phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship among them. The transcript of Xupu goose A-FABP was ubiquitously expressed in all tested tissues, and showed a high-level expression in abdominal fat, sebum and liver.5. A significant positive correlation was identified between A-FABP mRNA abundance in the three adipose tissues and liver weight, ratio of liver to body weight, TG content, and VLDL concentration in the plasma of Xupu goose. A significant negative correlation was observed between the mRNA level of A-FABP and HDL concentration in the plasma of Xupu goose.6. These findings provide a foundation for further research on the function and mechanism of A-FABP in the fat deposition process.

Nanostructuring with Structural-Compositional Dual Heterogeneities Enhances Strength-Ductility Synergy in Eutectic High Entropy Alloy

A lamellar (L1₂ + B2) AlCoCrFeNi_2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy (EHEA) was severely deformed by a novel hybrid-rolling process. During hybrid-rolling, the deformation was carried out in two stages, namely cryo-rolling followed by warm-rolling at 600 °C. The strain (ε) imparted in each of these steps was identical ~1.2, resulting in a total strain of ε~2.4 (corresponding to 90% reduction in thickness). The novel processing strategy resulted in an extremely heterogeneous microstructure consisting of retained lamellar and transformed nanocrystalline regions. Each of these regions consisted of different phases having different crystal structures and chemical compositions. The novel structure-composition dual heterogeneous microstructure originated from the stored energy of the cryo-rolling which accelerated transformations during subsequent low temperature warm-rolling. The dual heterogeneous microstructure yielded an unprecedented combination of strength (~2000 MPa) and ductility (~8%). The present study for the first time demonstrated that dual structure-composition heterogeneities can be a novel microstructural design strategy for achieving outstanding strength-ductility combination in multiphase high entropy alloys.

Prognostic factors in Asian and white American patients with cervical cancer, considering competing risks

Background

Cervical cancer is the 2nd most common malignant tumour in women worldwide. Previous research studies have given little attention to its prognostic factors in the rapidly growing Asian American population. In the present study, we explored prognostic factors in Asian and white American patients with cervical cancer, considering competing risks.

Methods

The study included 58,780 patients with cervical cancer, of whom 54,827 were white and 3953 were Asian American, and for all of whom complete clinical information was available in the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Death from cervical cancer was considered to be the event of interest, and deaths from other causes were defined as competing risks. The cumulative incidence function and the Fine-Gray method were applied for univariate and multivariate analysis respectively.

Results

We found that, for all patients (white and Asian American combined), the cumulative incidence function was associated with several factors, such as age at diagnosis, figo (Fédération internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique) stage, registry area, and lymph node metastasis. Similar results were found when considering white patients only. However, for Asian American patients, registry area was not associated with the cumulative incidence function, but the other factors (for example, figo stage) remained statistically significant. Similarly, in multivariate analyses, we found that age at diagnosis, figo stage, lymph node metastasis, tumour histology, treatment method, and race were all associated with prognosis.

Conclusions

Survival status differs for white and Asian American patients with cervical cancer. Our results could guide the treatment of, and facilitate prognostic judgments about, white and Asian American patients with cervical cancer.

Lymphocyte and its CD4+ and CD8+ subgroup changes after paraquat poisoning

OBJECTIVE

Paraquat (PQ) poisoning is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Poor prognostic outcomes have been attributed to the herbicide's toxicity and the lack of effective treatments. Our study aims to investigate the changes in lymphocyte count in both patients who survived and died from PQ poisoning and explore the prognostic value.

METHOD

This is a retrospective case serials observational study. Adult patients admitted with acute PQ poisoning. The notes of 1000 patients who presented with acute PQ poisoning were reviewed. One hundred thirty patients having the T lymphocyte met the inclusion criteria and were grouped into those that survived the poisoning (95) and non-survivors (35).

RESULTS

On admission, non-survivors had a higher ingestion volume of PQ and urine PQ concentration as well as higher severity indices (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation 2, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, and Poisoning Severity Score). Patients in the survival group had a higher dosage of immunosuppressant and a longer hospital stay. Leukocytes, especially neutrophils, were higher among non-survivors; however, the converse was found with lymphocytes. T lymphocyte (CD3) count was consistently higher among survivors as well as the subgroups CD4+ and CD8+. No differences in the ratio of CD4/CD8 were found between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Our study has shown that changes in lymphocyte count as its subgroups could indicate a host's immune status and lymphocytes play an important role as a surrogate marker of host immunity, which could be a useful prognostic tool in the assessment of this disease.

User testing of the psychometric properties of pictorial-based disability assessment Longshi Scale by healthcare professionals and non-professionals: a Chinese study in Shenzhen

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to validate a novel pictorial-based Longshi Scale for evaluating a patient's disability by healthcare professionals and non-professionals.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Rehabilitation departments from a grade A, class 3 public hospital, a grade B, class 2 public hospital, and a private hospital and seven community rehabilitation centers.

SUBJECTS

A total of 618 patients and 251 patients with functional disabilities were recruited in a two-phase study, respectively.

MAIN MEASURES

Outcome measure: pictorial scale of activities of daily living (ADLs, Longshi Scale). Reference measure: Barthel Index. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to analyze the validity of Longshi Scale against Barthel Index.

RESULTS

In phase 1 study, from March 2016 to August 2016, the results demonstrated that the Longshi Scale was both reliable and valid (intraclass correlation coefficient based on two-way random effect (ICC_2,1) = 0.877-0.974 for intra-rater reliability; ICC_2,1 = 0.928-0.979; κ = 0.679-1.000 for inter-rater reliability; intraclass correlation coefficient based on one-way random effect (ICC_1,1) = 0.921-0.984 for test-retest reliability and Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.836-0.899). In the second phase, in March 2018, results further demonstrated that the Longshi Scale had good inter-rater and intra-rater reliability among healthcare professionals and non-professionals including therapists, interns, and personal care aids (ICC_1,1 = 0.822-0.882 on Day 1; ICC_1,1 = 0.842-0.899 on Day 7 for inter-rater reliability). In addition, the Longshi Scale decreased assessment time significantly, compared with the Barthel Index assessment (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The Longshi Scale could potentially provide an efficient way for healthcare professionals and non-professionals who may have minimal training to assess the ADLs of functionally disabled patients.

Synergy of Single-ion Conductive and Thermo-responsive Copolymer Hydrogels Achieving Anti-Arrhenius Ionic Conductivity

Artificial intelligence sensations have aroused scientific interest from electronic conductors to bio-inspired ionic conductors. The conductivity of electrons decreases with increasing temperature, while the ionic conductivity agrees with an Arrhenius equation or a modified Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) equation. Herein, thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropyl amide) (PNIPAm) and single-ion-conducting poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic lithium salt) (PAMPSLi) were copolymerized via a facile radical polymerization to demonstrate a very intriguing anti-Arrhenius ionic conductivity behaviour during thermally induced volume-phase transition. These smart hydrogels presented very promising scaffolds for architecting flexible, wearable or advanced functional ionic devices.

Giant peritoneal loose body: A case report

Peritoneal loose body (PLB) is a rare finding and it is usually incidentally discovered during laparotomy, examination or autopsy, as it is usually asymptomatic or presents with non-specific symptoms. In particular, giant PLBs, measuring >50 mm in maximum diameter, are even more rare, and only a few cases of laparoscopic extraction of these giant bodies have been reported in the literature to date. We herein describe our experience with the diagnosis and treatment of a giant PLB in a 49-year-old male patient who was admitted with complaints of intermittent pain the in lower abdomen 3 months earlier. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a 5.5x5.0-cm midline mass with central high density. The diagnosis was confirmed by open surgery and postoperative pathological examination. The postoperative recovery of the patient was uneventful and he was discharged from the hospital 7 days after surgery.

Diagnostic value of nailfold videocapillaroscopy in systemic sclerosis secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Microvascular changes play a decisive role in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and occur early in the course of the disease. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) represents one of the main clinical expressions of the vascular changes in SSc, and the abnormal changes, especially capillary density and capillary width, are detectable at nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC).

AIMS

To investigate the differences in capillary nailfold changes in SSc patients with and without PAH and to estimate the early diagnostic value of NVC in SSc secondary PAH (SSc-PAH).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE and PUBMED was performed to identify published studies without language restrictions. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated. The pooled specificity, sensitivity, positive likelihood rate, negative likelihood rate, diagnostic odds ratio, area under the curve and Q value were found using Meta-Disc version 1.4 software packages. Finally, seven studies were included in this meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis demonstrated that the diagnostic odds ratio, area under the curve and Q value were 5.84 (95% confidence interval: 1.95-17.54), 0.79 and 0.72 respectively. It indicated that the microvascular changes detected at NVC were significant in SSc-PAH and especially showed significantly lower capillary density and higher capillary width.

CONCLUSION

The NVC may be a valuable tool for the early diagnosis of SSc-PAH. It can detect the early microvascular changes associated with the risk of PAH and has a significant role in the early prediction of SSc-PAH.

[Clinical analysis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis in 71 children]

Objective: To summarize the clinical data including manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) in children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 71 patients with pathologically proven EGE at Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2008 to January 2017. Their clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging examinations, endoscopic findings, histopathological examinations, and treatment were collected and analyzed. Results: Among 71 EGE cases, 47 (66%) cases were male and 24 (34%) cases were female, and the median age was 9.2 (0.2-16.5) years old. The main clinical manifestations included abdominal pain (76%, 54/71), vomiting (68%, 48/71), anorexia (54%, 38/71), weight loss (38%, 27/71), and diarrhea (37%, 26/71). There were 27 cases (38%) with a history of allergic diseases or family history. The median absolute value of eosinophil in peripheral blood of the 71 patients was 0.4 (0-36.8)×10(9)/L, and 27 cases (38%) showed an increase in eosinophil counts. Serum IgE was measured in 52 patients (104.3 (3.4- 3 000.0)×10(3) U/L), and 30 patients (58%) showed an increase in serum IgE. A large number of eosinophils ((41.0±8.5)/HP) were found in 3 patients' ascites. The endoscopic examination of upper gastrointestinal tract revealed hyperemic edema in 62 cases (87%), plaque in 44 cases (62%), erosion in 17 cases (24%) and ulceration in 16 cases (23%). Histopathologically, in 8 cases (11%) the disease involved both stomach and duodeneum, in 21 cases (30%) involved stomach only, and in 37 cases (52%) involved duodeneum only. In addition, in 6 cases (8%) the disease involved esophagus and in 10 cases (14%) involved colorectum. Microscopically, eosinophil counts averaged 67/HP, 33/HP, 40/HP and 38/HP in esophageal, gastric, duodenal and colorectal mucosa respectively. A total of 34 cases were treated with glucocorticoid, and all these patients had alleviation of symptoms, which occurred within 14.9 days on average, but EGE recurred in 11 cases (32%). Conclusions: The clinical symptoms and endoscopic findings of EGE are diverse and nonspecific. Histopathological examination of gastrointestinal mucosa is particularly important for the diagnosis. Glucocorticoid treatment is effective, but the patients with EGE are prone to relapse.

Diterpenoid alkaloids from the whole plant of Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf

Five undescribed diterpenoid alkaloids tanguticulines A-E and two undescribed amide compounds 5-methoxy-N-Salicylanthranilic acid methyl ester and 3, 5-dimethoxy-4- hydroxycinnamamide-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, were isolated from the whole plant of Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf. Their structures were assigned by detailed analysis of MS and NMR spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 5 were evaluated for their antivirus activities against influenza a (H1N1) virus in vitro. Both of them showed obvious inhibitory effect on the cytopathic changes induced by H1N1, with IC₅₀ values of 2.9 μg mL^-1 and 2.4 μg mL^-1, respectively.