Localized High-Concentration Sulfone Electrolytes with High-Voltage Stability and Flame Retardancy for Ni-Rich Lithium Metal Batteries.

The localized high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE) propels the advanced high-voltage battery system. Sulfone-based LHCE is a transformative direction compatible with high energy density and high safety. In this work, the application of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in the LHCE system constructed from sulfolane and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether (TTE) is investigated. The addition of diluent causes an increase of contact ion pairs and ionic aggregates in the solvation cluster and an acceptable quantity of free solvent molecules. A small amount of LiFSI as an additive can synergistically decompose with TTE on the cathode and participate in the construction of both electrode interfaces. The designed electrolyte helps the Ni-rich system to cycle firmly at a high voltage of 4.5 V. Even with high mass load and lean electrolyte, it can keep a reversible specific capacity of 91.5% after 50 cycles. The constructed sulfone-based electrolyte system exhibits excellent thermal stability far beyond the commercial electrolytes. Further exploration of in-situ gelation has led to a quick conversion of the designed liquid electrolyte to the gel state, accompanied by preserved stability, which provides a direction for the synergistic development of LHCE with gel electrolytes.

Prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of acute respiratory distress syndrome in severe stroke.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with severe stroke are at high risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but this severe complication was often under-diagnosed and rarely explored in stroke patients. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, early predictors, and outcomes of ARDS in severe stroke. METHODS: This prospective study included consecutive patients admitted to neurological intensive care unit (neuro-ICU) with severe stroke, including acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The incidence of ARDS was examined, and baseline characteristics and severity scores on admission were investigated as potential early predictors for ARDS. The in-hospital mortality, length of neuro-ICU stay, the total cost in neuro-ICU, and neurological functions at 90 days were explored. RESULTS: Of 140 patients included, 35 (25.0%) developed ARDS. Over 90% of ARDS cases occurred within 1 week of admission. Procalcitonin (OR 1.310 95% CI 1.005-1.707, P = 0.046) and PaO2/FiO2 on admission (OR 0.986, 95% CI 0.979-0.993, P < 0.001) were independently associated with ARDS, and high brain natriuretic peptide (OR 0.994, 95% CI 0.989-0.998, P = 0.003) was a red flag biomarker warning that the respiratory symptoms may be caused by cardiac failure rather than ARDS. ARDS patients had longer stays and higher expenses in neuro-ICU. Among patients with ARDS, 25 (62.5%) were moderate or severe ARDS. All the patients with moderate to severe ARDS had an unfavorable outcome at 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: ARDS is common in patients with severe stroke, with most cases occurring in the first week of admission. Procalcitonin and PaO2/FiO2 on admission are early predictors of ARDS. ARDS worsens both short-term and long-term outcomes. The conflict in respiratory support strategies between ARDS and severe stroke needs to be further studied.

A case of herpes simplex virus induced peripheral neuropathy and encephalitis with positive GM3 and CASPR2 antibody.

BACKGROUND: We reported on a case involving an older patient with HSV-1 encephalitis who simultaneously experienced the onset of peripheral nerve symptoms associated with the presence of anti-GM3 immunoglobulin G (IgG). CASE PRESENTATION: A 77-year-old male was admitted to hospital with high fever, weakness of both lower limbs, and an unstable gait. A CSF test revealed a strikingly increased protein level (1,002 mg/L, normative values: 150-450 mg/L) and MRI revealed hyper-signal lesions in the right temporal lobe, right hippocampus, right insula, and right cingulate gyrus. The CSF was positive for HSV PCR (HSV-1,17870). In addition, the serum samples were positive for CASPR2 antibodies (antibody titer: 1/10) and anti-GM3 immunoglobulin G (IgG) (+). The patient was diagnosed with HSV-1-induced peripheral nerve symptoms that were associated with encephalitis and the presence of anti-GM3 IgG and anti-CASPR2 antibodies. The patient had received included intravenous immunoglobulin, intravenous acyclovir, and corticosteroids therapy. At the one-year follow-up examination, he had regained the necessary skills associated with daily life. CONCLUSIONS: Herpes simplex virus infection often induces encephalitis, and reaction to the virus may trigger an autoimmune response. Early diagnosis and treatment can avoid the progression of the disease to include autoimmune encephalitis.

The clinical value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) for predicting the occurrence and severity of pneumonia in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background: Inflammatory mechanisms play important roles in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and have been linked to the development of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) are inflammatory indexes that influence systemic inflammatory responses after stroke. In this study, we aimed to compare the predictive value of the NLR, SII, SIRI and PLR for SAP in patients with ICH to determine their application potential in the early identification of the severity of pneumonia. Methods: Patients with ICH in four hospitals were prospectively enrolled. SAP was defined according to the modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Data on the NLR, SII, SIRI and PLR were collected at admission, and the correlation between these factors and the clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) was assessed through Spearman's analysis. Results: A total of 320 patients were enrolled in this study, among whom 126 (39.4%) developed SAP. The results of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the NLR had the best predictive value for SAP (AUC: 0.748, 95% CI: 0.695-0.801), and this outcome remained significant after adjusting for other confounders in multivariable analysis (RR=1.090, 95% CI: 1.029-1.155). Among the four indexes, Spearman's analysis showed that the NLR was the most highly correlated with the CPIS (r=0.537, 95% CI: 0.395-0.654). The NLR could effectively predict ICU admission (AUC: 0.732, 95% CI: 0.671-0.786), and this finding remained significant in the multivariable analysis (RR=1.049, 95% CI: 1.009-1.089, P=0.036). Nomograms were created to predict the probability of SAP occurrence and ICU admission. Furthermore, the NLR could predict a good outcome at discharge (AUC: 0.761, 95% CI: 0.707-0.8147). Conclusions: Among the four indexes, the NLR was the best predictor for SAP occurrence and a poor outcome at discharge in ICH patients. It can therefore be used for the early identification of severe SAP and to predict ICU admission.

Efficacy of acupuncture for cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Cerebral resuscitation is one of the main therapeutic aims in the treatment of cardiac arrest (CA) patients who experience a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). However, the therapeutic effects of current treatments are not ideal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of neurological function of acupuncture combined with conventional cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitationthe (CPCR) for patients after ROSC. Methods: Seven electronic databases and other related websites were searched to identify studies on acupuncture combined with conventional CPCR for patients after ROSC. R software was used to conduct a meta-analysis, and the outcomes that could not be pooled were analyzed using a descriptive analysis. Results: Seven RCTs involving 411 participants who had experienced ROSC were eligible for inclusion. The main acupoints were Neiguan (PC6), Shuigou (DU26), Baihui (DU20), Yongquan (KI1), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). Compared to conventional CPCR, acupuncture combined with conventional CPCR led to significantly higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores on day 3 (mean difference (MD)=0.89, 95% CI: 0.43, 1.35, I2 = 0%), day 5 (MD = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.27, 2.15; I2 = 0%), and day 7 (MD = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.35, 2.50; I2 = 0%). Conclusion: Acupuncture-assisted conventional CPCR may have a potential role in improving neurological function in CA patients after ROSC, but the certainty of evidence is very low and more high-quality studies are required. Protocol registration: This review was registered at the International Prospective Registry of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42021262262.

Variability across countries for brain death determination in adults.

BACKGROUND: The guidelines of brain death determination vary across countries. Our aim was to compare diagnostic procedures of brain death determination in adults among five countries. METHOD: Consecutive comatose patients who received brain death determination from June 2018 to June 2020 were included. The technical specifications, completion rates and positive rates of brain death determination according to criteria of different countries were compared. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of each ancillary test for the identification of brain death diagnosed according to different criteria were investigated. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety nine patients were included in this study. One hundred and thirty one (65.8%) patients were diagnosed with brain death according to French criteria, 132 (66.3%) according to Chinese criteria, and 135 (67.7%) according to criteria of USA, UK and Germany. The sensitivity and PPV of electroencephalogram (92.2% - 92.3%) and somatosensory evoked potential (95.5% - 98.5%) were higher than transcranial Doppler (84.3% - 86.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The criteria of brain death in China and France are comparatively stricter than in USA, UK and Germany. The discrepancy in brain death determination between clinical assessments and additional confirmation of ancillary tests is small.

A Wider and Deeper Peptide-Binding Groove for the Class I Molecules from B15 Compared with B19 Chickens Correlates with Relative Resistance to Marek's Disease.

The chicken MHC is known to confer decisive resistance or susceptibility to various economically important pathogens, including the iconic oncogenic herpesvirus that causes Marek's disease (MD). Only one classical class I gene, BF2, is expressed at a high level in chickens, so it was relatively easy to discern a hierarchy from well-expressed thermostable fastidious specialist alleles to promiscuous generalist alleles that are less stable and expressed less on the cell surface. The class I molecule BF2*1901 is better expressed and more thermostable than the closely related BF2*1501, but the peptide motif was not simpler as expected. In this study, we confirm for newly developed chicken lines that the chicken MHC haplotype B15 confers resistance to MD compared with B19. Using gas phase sequencing and immunopeptidomics, we find that BF2*1901 binds a greater variety of amino acids in some anchor positions than does BF2*1501. However, by x-ray crystallography, we find that the peptide-binding groove of BF2*1901 is narrower and shallower. Although the self-peptides that bound to BF2*1901 may appear more various than those of BF2*1501, the structures show that the wider and deeper peptide-binding groove of BF2*1501 allows stronger binding and thus more peptides overall, correlating with the expected hierarchies for expression level, thermostability, and MD resistance. Our study provides a reasonable explanation for greater promiscuity for BF2*1501 compared with BF2*1901, corresponding to the difference in resistance to MD.

T2 MRI at 3T of cartilage and menisci in patients with hyperuricemia: initial findings.

OBJECTIVE: To compare and evaluate T2 values of compartmental femorotibial cartilage and subregional menisci in patients with hyperuricemia at 3T. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two subjects were included in this study and subdivided into two subgroups: 15 healthy controls (3 females, 12 males; mean age = 45.3 ± 10.9 years), 17 patients with hyperuricemia (2 females, 15 males; mean age = 44.4 ± 12.7 years). All subjects were assessed on a 3T MR scanner using an 8-channel phased-array knee coil (transmit-receive). Wilcoxon rank sum test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed to determine whether there were any statistically significant differences in T2 values of compartmental femorotibial cartilage and subregional menisci between the two subgroups. RESULTS: Lateral tibial cartilage (48.6 ± 3.5 ms) in healthy subgroup had significantly lower (p < 0.05) T2 values than all subcompartments of femorotibial cartilage in hyperuricemia subgroup. Medial tibial cartilage (56.5 ± 4.3 ms) in hyperuricemia subgroup had significantly higher (p < 0.05) T2 values than all subcompartments of femorotibial cartilage except medial tibial cartilage in healthy subgroup. Medial anterior horn of meniscus (39.4 ± 2.9 ms) in healthy subgroup had significantly lower (p < 0.05) T2 values than all subregional menisci except both medial anterior horn and medial body segment of meniscus in hyperuricemia subgroup. CONCLUSION: T2 values in certain compartmental femorotibial cartilage and subregional menisci in patients with hyperuricemia are evidently and abnormally heightened compared with those in healthy subjects, to which special attention should be paid when diagnosing and treating the patients with hyperuricemia in the clinical setting. The LT cartilage had significantly lower T2 values (48.6 ± 3.5 ms) in healthy subgroup compared to all compartmental femorotibial cartilage in cohort with HU. MF cartilage had significantly lower T2 values (51.6 ± 2.9 ms) in healthy subgroup compared to both LF (54.4 ± 4.1 ms) and MT (56.5 ± 4.3 ms) in cohort with HU. MT cartilage had significantly higher T2 values (56.5 ± 4.3 ms) in cohort with HU subgroup compared to LF (52.5 ± 3.0 ms) in healthy subgroup. T2 mapping may be promising and potential sensitive discriminator of understanding and examining the early compositional and structural change in proteoglycan-collagen matrix of human femorotibial cartilage in patients with hyperuricemia.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells transplantation in a patient with severe progressive supranuclear palsy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Progressive supranuclear palsy is a neurodegenerative condition that worsens over time. Given the lack of targeted treatments, patients with severe progressive supranuclear palsy have very low life expectancy. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 61-year-old Chinese man with severe progressive supranuclear palsy and treated with umbilical cord blood stem cells transplantation. After the umbilical cord blood stem cells therapy, his neurologic symptoms stopped deteriorating, his muscle rigidity was mildly improved, and he remains alive for more than 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: Umbilical cord blood stem cells transplantation may be an alternative therapy for patients with severe progressive supranuclear palsy.

The Value of Stimulated Thyroglobulin Before the First Radioactive Iodine Treatment in Metastasis for Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the value of preablative stimulated thyroglobulin (ps-Tg) before the first radioactive ablation iodine (RAI) treatment to predict the postoperative metastasis of DTC. METHODS: A total of 235 DTC patients, who underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph node dissection, were enrolled. On the basis of the presence or absence of metastasis, all patients were divided into metastasis (M1) and non-metastasis (M0) groups. Besides, the patients in the M1 group were further divided into two subgroups according to sites of metastasis. These groups included cervical lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis groups. Subsequently, the level of serum ps-Tg was measured 3 - 4 days before the first RAI ablation treatment, whereas 131I whole-body imaging and SPECT/CT tomography were performed 5 - 7 days after radio ablation. Subsequently, the Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the different levels of ps-Tg between the two groups. Additionally, the relationship between ps-Tg and the metastasis of DTC was analyzed through correlation analysis, regression analysis, and the ROC curve. RESULTS: The ps-Tg level in the M1 group was higher than that in the M0 group. Further analysis discovered that the ps-Tg in the distant metastasis group was higher than that in the cervical lymph node metastasis and non-metastasis groups. Also, the ps-Tg level was positively correlated with distant metastasis (r = 0.599, p = 0.000). Besides, the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis outlined that the level of ps-Tg was an independent risk factor for the development of distant metastasis (OR = 1.008, p = 0.018). Subsequently, the results from the ROC analysis also showed a good diagnostic performance for ps-Tg in treating distant metastasis (AUC = 0.964, p = 0.000), and the optimal cutoff value was 61.87 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The ps-Tg in patients with DTC before the first RAI ablation treatment is an independent risk factor and a meaningful indicator in predicting postoperative distant metastasis.

Reversible leukoencephalopathy caused by 2 rodenticides bromadiolone and fluoroacetamide: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: With the easy access, rodenticide poisoning has been a public health problem in many countries. Characteristics of central nervous system (CNS) lesions induced by rodenticides are scarcely reported. PATIENT CONCERNS: We presented a case of a 40-year-old man with seizure and consciousness disorder, coagulation dysfunction, and symmetric lesions in white matter and corpus callosum. DIAGNOSIS: He was diagnosed with rodenticide poisoning due to bromadiolone and fluoroacetamide. INTERVENTIONS: He was treated with vitamin K, hemoperfusion, acetamide, and calcium gluconate. OUTCOMES: His leukoencephalopathy was reversed rapidly with the improvement of clinical symptoms. LESSONS: This report presented the impact of rodenticide poisoning on CNS and the dynamic changes of brain lesions, and highlighted the importance of timely targeted treatments.

The add-on effect of Chinese herbal medicine on COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is thought to be a potential intervention in the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of CHM or CHM combination therapy for COVID-19. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis METHODS: We searched for relevant studies in the CNKI, CBM, Wanfang Data, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and other resources from their inception to April 15, 2020. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies on CHM or CHM combination therapy for COVID-19 were included. Meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane Handbook. RESULTS: Overall, 19 studies with 1474 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that the overall clinical effectiveness (OR = 2.67, 95% CI 1.83-3.89, I2 = 0%), improvement in the CT scan (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.80-3.29, I2 = 0%), percentage of cases turning to severe/critical (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.24-0.67, I2 = 17.1%), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) negativity rate (OR = 2.55, 95% CI 1.06-6.17, I2 = 56.4%) and disappearance rate of symptoms (fever, cough, and fatigue) were superior by combined CHM treatment of COVID-19. However, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of length of hospital stay (WMD = -0.46, 95% CI -3.87 - 2.95, I2 = 99.5%), and rate of adverse effects (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 0.48-3.07, I2 = 43.5%). The quality of evidence was very low to low. CONCLUSION: The combined treatment of COVID-19 with Chinese and Western medicine may be effective in controlling symptoms and reducing the rate of disease progression due to low quality evidence.

Research on the Application Value of Serum and Urine ß2-Microglobulin in Immunoglobulin a Nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: To compare the application value of serum and urinary ß2-microglobulin in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). METHODS: Two hundred thirteen patients were hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College in China because of physical abnormalities and diagnosed with IgAN by means of renal biopsy between January 2010 and December 2018. ß2-MG levels in serum and urine were detected through immunoturbidimetric methods. The renal histopathology was quantified according to Katafuchi semi-quantitative standards and Lee's grading. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four patients were male and 89 cases were female, for a 1.39:1 male to female ratio. The average age was 38.25 ± 12.48 years old when patients received their first renal biopsy. The levels of serum ß2-MG and urine ß2-MG increased gradually with the aggravation of tubulointerstitial lesions. Results of correlation analysis showed that serum ß2-MG had higher application value. Serum ß2-MG levels were positively correlated with SCr and tubulointerstitial lesions (r = 0.840, 0.652, p = 0.000), negatively correlated with CG-eGFR (r = -0.680, p = 0.000). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum ß2-MG was a marker of independent risk factor for the score of tubulointerstitial lesions ≥ 3 (OR = 6.649, p = 0.000). ROC analysis showed better diagnostic performance for serum ß2-MG, with the optimal cutoffs in predicting tubulointerstitial score ≥ 1, score ≥ 4 and score ≥ 7 of 1.905 mg/L, 2.13 mg/L, and 4.49 mg/L, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Serum ß2-MG is valuable in evaluating renal function and pathological lesions in IgAN patients and has significant predictive value in evaluating tubulointerstitial lesions. Serum ß2-MG may be used as a non-invasive diagnostic indicator for predicting renal function and tubulointerstitial lesions in IgAN.

Treatment of severe fluoroacetamide poisoning in patient with combined multiple organ dysfunction syndrome by evidence-based integrated Chinese and Western medicines: A case report.

RATIONALE: Fluoroacetamide poisoning is the acute and severe disease of human, which leads to nervous, digestive, and cardiovascular system damage or even death in a short period of time. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a case of a 65-year-old woman with loss of consciousness, nausea, and vomiting who was sent to the hospital by passers-by. DIAGNOSIS: She was diagnosed with severe fluoroacetamide poisoning with combined multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. INTERVENTIONS: When the diagnosis was unclear, we gave gastric lavage, support and symptomatic treatment, and closely with the vital sign. When the diagnosis was clear, based on the evidence of retrieved, muscle injection of acetamide, calcium gluconate, and vitamin C. Traditional Chinese medicine aspect, oral administration of mung bean soup of glycyrrhizae and Da-Cheng-Qi decoction enema. OUTCOMES: By setting reasonable treatment for patients, she had no special discomfort and complications after treatment. Besides, through 1-month follow-up, it was confirmed that the treatments were effective. LESSONS: Evidence-based integrated Chinese and Western medicines can effectively improve the therapeutic effects in severe fluoroacetamide-poisoned patients with combined MODS.

Polystyrene-based Hollow Microsphere Synthesized by γ-ray Irradiation-assisted Polymerization and Self-Assembly and Its Application in Detection of Ionizing Radiation.

To simply and multitudinously synthesize hollow microspheres in a pure system is important for relevant research and application. Here, a simple and novel one-pot synthetic strategy to prepare polystyrene (PS) hollow microspheres via irradiation-assisted free-radical polymerizing and self-assembly (IFPS) approach under γ-ray irradiation with no additives introduced into the system is presented. And PS/2,5-Diphenyloxazole (PPO) fluorescent microspheres have been prepared successfully by IFPS reaction, which can be used as scintillators for the detection of ionizing radiation. A linear relationship between emitted luminescence and dose-activity in water is obtained, which suggests that composite microspheres could be used as liquid scintillation in specific environment.

[Reporting quality and effect size comparison in randomized controlled trials of bo's abdominal acupuncture using CONSORT statement and STRICTA].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reporting quality of randomized controlled trials (RCT) that compared Bo's abdominal acupuncture with conventional body acupuncture, and compare the efficacy and safety between them by performing a Meta-analysis. METHODS: All RCTs comparing Bo's abdominal acupuncture with conventional body acupuncture were included. English and Chinese databases were searched from their respective inceptions to March 2014. The reporting quality was assessed according to the "Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials" (CONSORT) checklist for parallel RCTs and the revised "Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture" (STRICTA). A Meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize the effect sizes, and publication bias was evaluated by the Egger linear regression test using Stata. RESULTS: Ninety-seven studies were included, of which most lacked adequate reporting information, and 80.4% showed that the efficacy of abdominal acupuncture is superior to conventional body acupuncture, especially for the following diseases: lumbar disc herniation, cervical spondylosis, omarthritis and cervical vertigo, except simple obesity. Effect-sizes were controversial when evaluating different outcomes. CONCLUSION: The international standard CONORT statement and STRICTA guidelines should be strictly applied when reporting acupuncture RCTs in the future. Abdominal acupuncture appears to be more effective compared with conventional body acupuncture for some diseases. However, fur-her high quality blind RCTs using validated out-ome indexes and standard reporting are warranted.

[Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for supraventricular tachycardia: a systematic review and meta-analysis].

The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of supraventricular tachycardia were systematically reviewed. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding acupuncture for supraventricular tachycardia were searched in domestic and overseas databases, and the evaluation tool of bias risk in Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 software was used to perform the evaluation of bias risk in literature, and RevMan 5.2 software was applied for statistics and Meta-analysis. Five RCTs involving 323 patients were included. The results showed that compared with the blank control group, the acupuncture reduced the heart rate by 18.8 times/min [95% CI (12.68, 24.92)]; the clinical effective rate in the acupuncture group was superior to that in the diltiazem group [OR= 3.11, 95% CI (1.50, 6.46)]; the difference of immediate effect between propafenone and acupuncture was not significant. No reports regarding adverse events was described in 5 RCTs. As was shown in the present evidence, acupuncture is safe and effective for the treatment of supraventricular tachycardia, but the level of evidence was low and the intensity of conclusion needed to be improved.

[Analysis of the evolution of esophageal tumor volume in radiotherapy process using a mathematical model].

The volume change of tumor during radiotherapy processes indirectly reflects the short-term efficacy and the quality of radiotherapy planning. We analyzed clinical data of radiotherapy using a mathematical model in our study. First, we selected eight esophageal carcinoma patients with only using 3DRT and conventional dose fractionation schemes. And then we observed and measured the change of tumor volume during the radiotherapy. Based on the LQ model, repopulation and re-oxygenation in 4Rs, and the kinetics of doomed tumor disintegration, we established the mathematical model of tumor evolution in radiotherapy. And then we used the model to analyze the clinical trial data about esophageal carcinoma with radiotherapy. It was proved that the results of the model almost coincided with the clinical trial data. According to the analysis results, we could get the related radiobiology parameters to estimate biological effective dose and repopulation of patients. The mathematical model could provide reference for assessment of prognosis and further scheme of treatment.

[Mathematical model of tumor evolution in radiotherapy].

The schemes of dose fractionation play an important role in tumor radiotherapy. We used mathematical methods to describe the process of tumor cells evolution during radiotherapy, trying to find how the schemes of dose fractionation affect tumor cells. In clinical radiobiology, linear-quadratic (LQ) model is frequently used to describe radiation effects of tumor cells. We integrated LQ model with effect of oxygen, and with the phenomenon of repopulation and reoxygenation in the theory of radiation biology. While we considered the disappearing progress of doomed cells in tumor, we established the mathematical model of tumor evolution in radiotherapy. We simulated some common treatment schedules, and studied the change role of tumor cells during radiotherapy. These results can serve for the optimization of dose fractionation scheme based on tumor radiobiological characteristics.

[Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody RTX enhances radiosensitivity of lymphoma cells].

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of rituximab (RTX), a chimeric human anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, on lymphoma cell injury induced by X ray irradiation. The human Burkitt EBV-infected and moderate radioresistance lymphoma cells (Namalwa) were used in the this study. Cytotoxicity of rituximab combined with X ray irradiation on Namalwa cells was measured by sulforhodamine B (SRB)-staining; the apoptosis of Namalwa cells was detected by flow cytometry with FITC-Annexin V/PI double staining; the morphologic changes of cells were observed under transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the change of intracellular free calcium level ([Ca(2+)]i) in response to irradiation and rituximab was determined by means of the fluorescent dye fluo-3 and confocal microscopy. The results showed that the growth inhibition in Namalwa cells exposed to irradiation was enhanced by treatment with rituximab. Compared with irradiation alone, rituximab combined with irradiation significantly induced the cell apoptosis and a sustained rise of intracellular free calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) level in Namalwa cells; the serial apoptotic appearances of cells could be observed under TEM. It is concluded that rituximab can enhance the sensitivity of lymphoma cells on X ray irradiation as to induce cell more apoptosis, in this process the intracellular free calcium ([Ca(2+)]i), as an intracellular signaling molecule probably plays an important role.