Effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction in patients with acute myocardial infarction after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted with data collected from AMI patients who underwent successful PPCI. The study included 61 cases that received 8-week MBSR intervention (MBSR group) and 61 cases that received weekly health education (control group) over the same period. Outcome measures, including hemodynamic parameters, psychosocial characteristics [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS)], health-related quality of life [HRQoL, 7-item Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ-7)], and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), were assessed at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), 1 month after the post-intervention (T3) and 3 months after the post-intervention (T4). RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the MBSR group showed improvements in blood pressure, specifically in systolic blood pressure (SBP) at T4, and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at T3 and T4, and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) at T3 and T4. Additionally, the MBSR group had lower scores of anxiety and perceived stress (HADS, PSS) and higher scores of perceived social support (PSSS) after the intervention. Furthermore, the MBSR group had higher scores on the SAQ-7 at all measurement points. The control group had a significantly higher total MACE rate compared to the MBSR group (26.23% vs. 9.84%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides support for the potential benefits of MBSR as an adjunctive treatment for AMI patients undergoing PPCI.

Randomized controlled study comparing tonsillectomy safety and patient satisfaction outcomes between HARMONIC ACE® + shears and monopolar diathermy in an adult population - A pilot study.

PURPOSE: Various types of the harmonic scalpel blades have been used for tonsillectomy since the early 2000s with varying successes. The HARMONIC ACE® + 23 cm shears is a relatively new blade which has not been studied in an adult population yet. METHODOLOGY: A randomized controlled pilot study was performed comparing the HARMONIC ACE® + 23 cm shears (HS) and monopolar electrocautery (EC) tonsillectomy in 20 patients. Intraoperative blood loss, pain control, return to normal diet and activity as well as patient satisfaction outcomes were compared between these two arms. RESULTS: The operative time was comparable. Compared to the EC arm, there was less intraoperative bleeding, lower risks of delayed haemorrhage and readmission in the HS arm. Post-operative pain scores and use of analgesia were similar. There was earlier return to normal diet and activity in the HS arm compared to the EC arm. More patients in the HS arm recommended using HARMONIC ACE® + 23 cm shears compared to those in the EC arm. This is a non-inferiority study which suggests that the HARMONIC ACE® + 23 cm shears is comparable to monopolar electrocautery in terms of efficacy and post-operative complication rates with better patient satisfaction outcomes. The main weakness of the study is a small study population. CONCLUSION: This is the first reported study comparing the use of the HARMONIC ACE® + 23 cm shears with monopolar cautery in tonsillectomy. A prospective adequately powered study validated by objective outcome measures would be useful to verify the findings from this pilot study.

[Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Prospects of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease --Review].

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is one of a major complication that affecting the long-term survival and living quality of patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with the incidence of 30%-70%. Unlike acute GVHD, cGVHD involves a large number of immune cells and cytokines in addition to T cell, which is activated abnormally by the donor, and cytokine storms, which characterized by infiltration of donor lymphocytes and damage to host target organ. Recent studies have further made progress in targeting related immune cells and cytokines. In this review, the pathogenesis and therapeutic prospects of cGVHD were summarized from the perspectives of classical innate and adaptive immunity.

Regulations of m6A and other RNA modifications and their roles in cancer.

RNA modification is an essential component of the epitranscriptome, regulating RNA metabolism and cellular functions. Several types of RNA modifications have been identified to date; they include N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), N7-methylguanosine (m7G), N6,2'-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am), N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C), etc. RNA modifications, mediated by regulators including writers, erasers, and readers, are associated with carcinogenesis, tumor microenvironment, metabolic reprogramming, immunosuppression, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, etc. A novel perspective indicates that regulatory subunits and post-translational modifications (PTMs) are involved in the regulation of writer, eraser, and reader functions in mediating RNA modifications, tumorigenesis, and anticancer therapy. In this review, we summarize the advances made in the knowledge of different RNA modifications (especially m6A) and focus on RNA modification regulators with functions modulated by a series of factors in cancer, including regulatory subunits (proteins, noncoding RNA or peptides encoded by long noncoding RNA) and PTMs (acetylation, SUMOylation, lactylation, phosphorylation, etc.). We also delineate the relationship between RNA modification regulator functions and carcinogenesis or cancer progression. Additionally, inhibitors that target RNA modification regulators for anticancer therapy and their synergistic effect combined with immunotherapy or chemotherapy are discussed.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis to Investigate the Immunotoxicity Mechanism Triggered by Dimethomorph on Human Jurkat T Cell Lines.

Dimethomorph (DMM) is a broad-spectrum fungicide used globally in agricultural production, but little is known regarding the immunotoxicity of DMM in humans. In this study, the immunotoxicity of DMM on human Jurkat T cells was evaluated in vitro. The results indicated that the half-effective concentration (EC50) of DMM for Jurkat cells was 126.01 mg/L (0.32 mM). To further elucidate the underlying mechanism, transcriptomics based on RNA sequencing for exposure doses of EC25 (M21) and EC10 (L4) was performed. The results indicated that compared to untreated samples (Ctr), 121 genes (81 upregulated, 40 downregulated) and 30 genes (17 upregulated, 13 downregulated) were significantly differentially regulated in the L4 and M21 samples, respectively. A gene ontology analysis indicated that the significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mostly enriched in the negative regulation of cell activities, and a KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the DEGs were mainly enriched in the immune regulation and signal transduction pathways. A quantitative real-time PCR for the selected genes showed that compared to the high-dose exposure (M21), the effect of the low-dose DMM exposure (L4) on gene expression was more significant. The results indicated that DMM has potential immunotoxicity for humans, and this toxicity cannot be ignored even at low concentrations.

[Discussion of epidemic trend and control strategies of malaria in Jinan City from 1989 to 2013].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the epidemic trend of malaria in Jinan City , so as to provide the evidence for improving the prevention and control of malaria. METHODS: The surveillance and annual report data of malaria were collected and analyzed epidemiologically in Jinan City from 1989 to 2013. RESULTS: The prevalence of malaria was low in Jinan City from 1989 to 2013. Totally 79 cases of malaria were reported, and 14 cases (7.82%) were locally infected and 165 cases (92.18%) were imported. CONCLUSION: Most malaria cases were imported since the disease was basically eliminated in Jinan City. The overseas workers from high prevalence areas of malaria should be well managed.

[Applying competitive polymerase chain reaction to the detection of hepatitis B virus DNA].

OBJECTIVE: To reduce the rate of accidental false negative result in the HBV DNA PCR test on clinical serum samples. METHODS: A competitive polymerase chain reaction (C-PCR) was used to decrease the false negative ratio. In the C-PCR, a constructed inner control DNA was added for co-amplification with the HBV target DNA. RESULTS: In a 20 microl C-PCR system, about 60 to 200 copies of inner control DNA could give apparent co-amplification signal band after electrophoresis on a 2% agarose gel. Five of 120 samples of clinical serum (4.2%) could not be amplified. CONCLUSION: C-PCR has the advantage of yielding information on false negative in the HBV DNA PCR assay of clinical serum samples.