Outcome of surgical repair for aortic coarctation with coexisting descending aortic aneurysm in adult patients / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of surgical treatment of aortic coarctation combined with descending aortic aneurysm in adult patients. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Adult patients with aortic coarctation who were hospitalized in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2015 to April 2019 were enrolled. The aortic coarctation was diagnosed by aortic CT angiography, and the included patients were divided into the combined descending aortic aneurysm group and the uncomplicated descending aortic aneurysm group based on descending aortic diameter. General clinical data and surgery-related data were collected from the included patients, and death and complications were recorded at 30 days after surgery, and upper limb systolic blood pressure was measured in all patients at discharge. Patients were followed up after discharge by outpatient visit or telephone call for their survival and the occurrence of repeat interventions and adverse events, which included death, cerebrovascular events, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, hypertension, postoperative restenosis, and other cardiovascular-related interventions. Results: A total of 107 patients with aortic coarctation aged (34.1±15.2) years were included, and 68 (63.6%) were males. There were 16 cases in the combined descending aortic aneurysm group and 91 cases in the uncomplicated descending aortic aneurysm group. In the combined descending aortic aneurysm group, 6 cases (6/16) underwent artificial vessel bypass, 4 cases (4/16) underwent thoracic aortic artificial vessel replacement, 4 cases (4/16) underwent aortic arch replacement+elephant trunk procedure, and 2 cases (2/16) underwent thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the choice of surgical approach (all P>0.05). In the combined descending aortic aneurysm group at 30 days after surgery, one case underwent re-thoracotomy surgery, one case developed incomplete paraplegia of the lower extremity, and one case died; and the differences in the incidence of endpoint events at 30 days after surgery were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). Systolic blood pressure in the upper extremity at discharge was significantly lower in both groups compared with the preoperative period (in the combined descending aortic aneurysm group: (127.3±16.3) mmHg vs. (140.9±16.3) mmHg, P=0.030, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa; in the uncomplicated descending aortic aneurysm group: (120.7±13.2) mmHg vs. (151.8±26.3) mmHg, P=0.001). The follow-up time was 3.5 (3.1, 4.4) years. There were no new deaths in the combined descending aortic aneurysm group, no transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction or re-thoracotomy surgery, and one patient (1/15) suffered cerebral infarction and 10 patients (10/15) were diagnosed with hypertension. The differences in the occurrence of endpoint events during postoperative follow-up were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: In experienced centers, long-term prognosis of patients with aortic coarctation combined with descending aortic aneurysm is satisfactory post surgical intervention.

Midterm clinical results of Sun's procedure with median resternotomy / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To summarize the clinical data of Sun's procedure(total aortic arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk technique) in the treatment of complex aortic arch disease after previous cardiac surgery.Methods:From January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020, a total of 55 patients underwent resternotomy Sun's procedure in the Aortic Surgery Center of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, including 41 males and 14 females, with a mean age of(45.4±12.7) years old, were retrospectively analyzed. The indications of primary cardiac surgery included type A aortic dissection, aortic root or ascending aortic aneurysm, heart valve surgery, and coronary heart disease. Indications for reoperation included residual aortic dissection larger than 55 mm in diameter, aortic aneurysm dilation, new type A aortic dissection, anastomotic leakage with symptoms, and pseudoaneurysm. All the operations were performed under general anesthesia and median resternotomy, total aortic arch replacement with the stented elephant trunk implantation and were performed by anterograde unilateral or bilateral cerebral perfusion.Results:There was no intraoperative death, and the postoperative mortality was 9.1%(5/55). The causes of death were 2 cases of low cardiac output, 1 case of respiratory failure, 1 case of cerebral complications, and 1 case of gastrointestinal bleeding. Except death, there were 2 cases of postoperative cerebral complications(2/50, 4%), 5 cases of spinal cord injury(transient paraplegia)(5/50, 10%), the median duration of ventilator use was 17 hours(14-42 h). Other postoperative complications included respiratory insufficiency requiring ventilatory support longer than 48 hours(8/50, 16%), renal insufficiency requiring temporary dialysis(2/50, 4%). The follow-up time was(25.9±11.2) months(10-47 months), during which 1 case died due to cerebral complication, 4 cases underwent total thoracoabdominal aorta replacement, and 1 case underwent anastomotic leakage repair.Conclusion:It is safe and effec to perform Sun's procedure(total aortic arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk technique) in the treatment of complex arch disease after previous cardiac surgery.

A multicenter cross-sectional study on the multidimensional clinical manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome / 中华消化杂志

Objective:To assess the differences in multidimensional clinical manifestations between patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) matching the Rome Ⅲ criteria but not matching Rome Ⅳ and IBS patients matching the Rome Ⅳ criteria, among patients diagnosed with IBS according to Rome Ⅲ criteria.Methods:From November 2016 to October 2017, a total of 472 IBS patients admitted to six hospitals were selected, which included Union Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (139 cases), Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine of Zhejiang University (95 cases), the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University (96 cases), the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University (90 cases), the People′s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (20 cases), and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University (32 cases). The 472 IBS patients were divided into the group that matching the Rome Ⅳ criteria (Rome Ⅳ group), and the group that matching the Rome Ⅲ criteria but not matching the Rome Ⅳ criteria (Rome Ⅲ group). The basic characteristics (IBS course, post-infectious IBS, history of smoking or drinking, etc.), abdominal symptoms, and defecation-related symptoms of two groups were compared and analyzed by face-to-face questionnaires. Multi-dimensional clinical manifestations assessment was completed by questionnaires, which included gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS), irritable bowel syndrome-severity scoring system (IBS-SSS), irritable bowel syndrome-quality of life (IBS-QOL), and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Independent sample t-test, rank sum test, and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results:There were 344 patients (72.9%) in Rome Ⅳ group and 128 patients (27.1%) in Rome Ⅲ group. The IBS course of patients in Rome Ⅳ group was longer than that in Rome Ⅲ group (3.0 years (7.0 years) vs. 2.0 years (5.7 years)), and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-2.73, P=0.006). The GSRS scores of loose stools and abdominal pain of IBS patients in Rome Ⅳ group were higher than those in Rome Ⅲ group, and the GSRS scores of increased exhaust and abdominal distension of IBS patients in Rome Ⅳ group were lower than those in Rome Ⅲ group (3.0(2.0) vs. 2.0(4.0), 3.0(2.0) vs.1.0(2.0), 1.5(3.0) vs. 2.0(3.0), 1.0 (3.0) vs. 2.0(3.0)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.48, -9.90, -2.11 and -2.06, P=0.013, <0.001, =0.035 and =0.040). The proportions of fatigue and dizziness of IBS patients in Rome Ⅳ group were higher than those in Rome Ⅲ group (58.4% (201/344) vs. 43.0% (55/128), 30.8% (106/344) vs. 29.7% (38/128)), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=8.37 and 12.36, P=0.004 and <0.001). The scores of anxiety and depression subscales of the HADS of IBS patients in Rome Ⅳ group were higher than those in Rome Ⅲ group (6.5 (6.8) vs. 6.0 (6.0), 5.0 (6.0) vs. 3.0 (5.0)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.58 and -2.40, P=0.010 and 0.017). The scores of IBS-SSS scale, abdominal pain severity, abdominal pain frequency, and impact on quality of life of IBS patients in Rome Ⅳ group were all higher than those in Rome Ⅲ group (249.5 (108.0) vs. 177.0 (111.8), 50.0 (25.0) vs. 20.0 (30.0), 50.0 (70.0) vs. 10.0 (30.0), 66.0 (42.0) vs. 42.5 (34.0)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-7.79, -9.64, -10.65 and -2.48, P<0.001, <0.001, <0.001 and =0.013). The score of IBS-QOL for behavioral disorder of IBS patients in Rome Ⅳ group was lower than that in Rome Ⅲ group (74.5±21.6 vs. 79.2±17.7), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-2.22, P=0.027). Conclusion:The clinical symptoms of patients mathching the Rome Ⅳ criteria are more typical and severe, as compared with those of IBS patients matching the Rome Ⅲ criteria but not matching the Rome Ⅳ criteria.

Clinical analysis and literature review of 3 cases with pancreatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective:To explore the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of pancreatic gastrointestinal interstitial tumors(pGISTs).Methods:Three cases of pGISTs diagnosed in the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from August 2015 to October 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Relevant literatures at home and abroad were searched and reviewed through PubMed, China knowledge Network, Wanfang and VIP databases. The sex, age, tumor size, tumor location, cystic or solid tumor, mode of treatment, mitosis, gene mutation, survival status and survival time were recorded, and the correlation between tumor cystic-solid characteristics and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier′s method was used to calculate the overall survival (OS) rate and disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to analyze the independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of pGISTs.Results:In this group, 3 cases were combined with 71 cases reported in the literature, and a total of 74 cases of pGISTs were included. Among them, 36 cases were male and 38 were female, the age of onset was 55(19-84) years, and the diameter of the tumor was 8 cm(2-35 cm). The tumor location of 71 patients was recorded by literature; 30 cases (42.3%) were located in the head of the pancreas. The solid-cystic characteristics of tumor in 63 patients were recorded by literature, and 33 cases (52.4%) were solid. The mode of treatment of 74 patients was recorded, and 60 cases (81.1%) underwent radical resection. The mitosis figures of 59 patients were recorded, and 33 cases (55.9%) were <5/50 high power field of vision (HPF). The gene mutation of 14 patients was recorded, and 11 cases (78.6%) were c-kit exon gene mutation. Correlation analysis showed that the cystic-solid characteristics of the tumor were significantly correlated with tumor location, tumor diameter and mitosis figures, but not with age, sex, histological type, Ki-67 index and modification National Institutes of Health(mNIH) classification. The 5-year OS rate of 51 patients after radical resection was 88.8%, and the 5-year DFS rate was 60.3%. The 1-year OS rate of patients receiving palliative treatment was 51.9%, and the 1-year fatality rate was 33.3%. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that male ( P=0.083), mitosis figures >5/50 HPF ( P=0.008)and CD 34 negative ( P=0.055)were risk factors for postoperative recurrence of pGISTs, while multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that mitosis figures >5/50 HPF ( P=0.023)was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of pGISTs. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with mitosis figures ≤5/50 HPF had a higher survival rate ( P=0.0003), but there was no significant difference on prognosis between patients with 10/50 HPF and >10/50 HPF( P=0.3075). Conclusions:pGISTs usually occured in the head of pancreas, and the tumor volume was usually found to be large. The main treatment was radical operation, and the main mutation type was exon mutation of c-kit gene. Nuclear fission image figures >5/50HPF was an independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence.

Clinical effect of tenofovir alafenamide fumarate on chronic hepatitis B patients with low viral load after entecavir treatment / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) on chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with low-level viremia (LLV) after entecavir (ETV) treatment. Methods A total of 160 CHB patients who received ETV antiviral therapy in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital from March 2019 to October 2020 were enrolled and divided into experimental group and control group by propensity score matching, with 80 patients in each group. The patients in the experimental group were given TAF antiviral therapy, and those in the control group were given ETV treatment; the course of treatment was 24 weeks for both groups. The two groups were compared in terms of HBV-DNA clearance rate, HBeAg clearance rate, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), FIB-4 value, liver stiffness measurement, and adverse drug reactions after treatment. The t -test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Results After 24 weeks of treatment, compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly higher HBV DNA clearance rate (96.25% vs 16.25%, χ 2 =104.03, P 0.05). Conclusion For CHB patients with LLV after ETV treatment, the change to TAF antiviral therapy can effectively increase their HBV DNA clearance rate and HBeAg clearance rate, improve liver and renal function, and reduce the degree of liver fibrosis, with good safety.

Value of an online interactive training program for improving cytopathological diagnostic ability of endoscopists in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of pancreas / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To develop an online interactive cytopathological training program, and to evaluate it for improving the cytopathological diagnostic ability of endoscopists in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of pancreas.Methods:A total of 5 500 cytopathological images were collected from 194 patients with pancreatic solid mass who underwent EUS-FNA in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from August 2018 to August 2019. The cell type in each cytopathological picture was labeled by senior cellular pathologists, which was used to build a learning and testing platform for online interactive cytopathological training. Five endoscopists without cytopathological background were invited to participate in this training. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of endoscopists in differential diagnosis of cancer and non-cancer before and after training were compared to evaluate the effect of the online interactive cytopathological training program on improving the ability of endoscopists in diagnosis of cytopathology.Results:A cytopathological training platform for endoscopists to learn and take online test was successfully built. Before training, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of diagnosis of cancer and non-cancer for endoscopists were 0.55 (95% CI: 0.53-0.58), 0.32 (95% CI: 0.30-0.35), 0.43 (95% CI: 0.41-0.45), 0.44 (95% CI: 0.41-0.47) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.42-0.45), respectively. After training, the above indicators were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.95-0.97), 0.70 (95% CI: 0.68-0.73), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.72-0.76), 0.95 (95% CI: 0.94-0.96) and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.80-0.83), respectively, which were significantly improved compared with those before ( P<0.001). Conclusion:The online interactive cytopathological training program can improve the understanding and diagnostic ability of endoscopists in pancreatic cytopathology, help to implement rapid on-site evaluation in the process of EUS-FNA, and improve the diagnostic efficiency of EUS-FNA.

Comparison of clinical efficacy and sagittal parameters of two minimally invasive surgical methods in treating degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To compare the clinical efficacy and sagittal parameters of oblique lateral interbody fusion （OLIF） combined with posterior percutaneous internal fixation and percutaneous transforaminal endoscope-assisted posterior lumbar interbody fusion （PT-Endo-TLIF） in treating degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. 【Methods】 A retrospective analysis was made on 43 patients with Meyerding Ⅰ and Ⅱ° degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis treated in our hospital from September 2017 to January 2020. Among them 23 cases were treated by OLIF， and the other 20 cases were treated by PT-Endo-TLIF. We observed and recorded the operation time， average length of hospital stay， and intraoperative blood loss， and postoperative complications of the patients. The patients were followed up 3 day， 6 and 12 months after the operation. The lumbar sagittal parameters of the two groups were compared by X-ray， CT and MRI examinations. The patients’ lower back pain was recorded for visual analogue scale （VAS）， and Oswestry disability index （ODI） was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. 【Results】 Both groups of patients successfully completed the operation and follow-up， with the average follow-up time of 12 months. The average amount of intraoperative blood loss and operation time were significantly lower in OLIF group than in PT-Endo-TLIF group （P<0.05）. Intervertebral height increased significantly in the two groups after operation compared with pre-operation （P<0.05）. Compared with pre-operation， lumbar lordosis angle， lower lumbar lordosis angle and lumbar lordosis distribution index increased in both groups （P<0.05）， with no significant difference between them （P>0.05）. The inclination angle of L4 vertebral body and the distance between L1 vertical line and S1 in both groups were decreased compared with those before surgery （P<0.05）， but there was no significant difference between the two groups （P>0.05）. The inclination angle of L5 vertebral body in the two groups was increased compared with that before surgery （P<0.05）， but there was no statistical significance between both groups （P>0.05）. 【Conclusion】 OLIF surgical technique has the comparative advantages of definite curative effect， less trauma， fewer surgical complications， shorter operation time， less bleeding， and good recovery of the height of intervertebral space， which is suitable for its application among clinicians.

Application and Research Progress of Lineage Tracing in Differentiation Mechanism of Hematopoietic Stem Cells--Review / 中国实验血液学杂志

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside at the top of the hierarchy and have the ability to differentiate to variety of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) or mature hematopoietic cells in each system. At present, the procress of HSC and HPC differentiating to the complete hematopoietic system under physiological and stressed conditions is poorly understood. In vivo lineage tracing is a powerful technique that can mark the individual cells and identify the differentiation pathways of their daughter cells, it takes as a strong technical system to research HSC. Traditional lineage tracing studies mainly rely on imaging techniques with fluorescent dyes and nucleic acid analogs. Recently, newly cell tracing technologies have been invented, and the combination of clonal tracing and DNAsequencing technologies have provided a new perspective on cell state, cell fate, and lineage commitment at the single cell level. In this review, these new tracing methods were introduce and discuss, and their advantages over traditional methods in the study of hematopoiesis were summarized briefly.

Effects of gibberellin priming on seedling emergence and transcripts involved in mesocotyl elongation in rice under deep direct-seeding conditions / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Mesocotyl elongation is a key trait influencing seedling emergence and establishment in direct-seeding rice cultivation. The phytohormone gibberellin (GA) has positive effects on mesocotyl elongation in rice. However, the physiological and molecular basis underlying the regulation of mesocotyl elongation mediated by GA priming under deep-sowing conditions remains largely unclear. In the present study, we performed a physiological and comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of the function of GA priming in mesocotyl elongation and seedling emergence using a direct-seeding

Summary Report of Expert Seminar on Clinical Use of Linaclotide / 胃肠病学

Linaclotide is the first secretagogue approved for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation in China. A group of experts in digestive diseases was convened to discuss the clinical use of linaclotide in China on June 26, 2021. Experts concluded at the seminar that the clinical efficacy of linaclotide should be comprehensively evaluated based on the improvement of constipation and abdominal symptoms; the clinicians should emphasize the importance to patient satisfaction; and the administration time, dose and duration of linaclotide treatment can be optimized according to the treatment response, lifestyle, severity of symptoms and drug sensitivity. In addition, the experts believed that communication with patients should be strengthened to help them to establish reasonable expectations to the efficacy and optimize the treatment regimen timely according to their feedback.

Development and Comparison of Determination of Staphylococcus aureus in Different Processed Products of Angelicae Sinensis Radix Based on Real-time PCR Technique / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To quantitatively analyze the changes of Staphylococcus aureus in different processed products of Angelicae Sinensis Radix. Method:The real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction method （Real-time PCR） was established to quantitatively analyze S. aureus in Angelicae Sinensis Radix decoction pieces which bought from different producing areas， different enterprises and different storage time. The fluorescence quantitative reaction system was SYBR Premix Ex Taq Ⅱ of 10 μL， each of forward primer and reverse primer （10 μmol·L-1） of 0.8 μL， template/genome DNA of 1 μL， double distilled water of 7.4 μL. The reaction conditions of the fluorescence quantitative amplification curve were pre-denaturing for 30 s at 94 ℃， denaturing for 10 s at 94 ℃， annealing for 12 s at 60 ℃， extensing for 30 s at 72 ℃， cycling 45 times， single-point detection signal at 72 ℃. The melting curve was made from 72 ℃， and the step temperature of 0.5 ℃ was kept for 15 s to collect fluorescence. According to the results of Real-time PCR， representative samples were selected from Angelicae Sinensis Radix decoction pieces for comparison between plate counting method and Real-time PCR. Result:The content of S. aureus in different processed products was sorted by rank of raw Angelicae Sinensis Radix>soil-fried Angelicae Sinensis Radix>wine-processed Angelicae Sinensis Radix. The content of S. aureus was the lowest in the samples from Weiyuan area of Gansu province by comparing with other producing areas. Compared with the retail enterprises， the content of S. aureus in raw products and wine-processed products from production and sale enterprises was lower. Different storage time had certain effect on the content of S. aureus in raw products and wine-processed products， and the content of S. aureus increased with the increase of storage time. The detection results of plate counting method were 3-4 orders of magnitude lower than that of Real-time PCR. Conclusion:The established Real-time PCR is superior to plate counting method in specificity， sensitivity， reliability and reporting period， which can provide an effective method for rapid and accurate quantitative detection of S. aureus in different processed products of Angelicae Sinensis Radix.

Investigation of Ecological Environment of Mountain Cultivated Panax ginseng and Their Associated Plants / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the ecological environment and associated plants of mountain cultivated Panax ginseng were investigated in Xifeng county，Kuandian Manchu autonomous county and Huanren Manchu autonomous county of Liaoning province，in order to provided suggestions on the development of the mountain cultivated P. ginseng in these areas and necessary reference materials for the analysis of ecological suitability of mountain cultivated P. ginseng. Method:The field survey was conducted through sample plot survey in the survey pattern ofbased on representative area-sample plot-quadrat，literature review and data collation， were conducted to record indicators， calculate relevant parameters and make summary. Result:The associated plants were investigated based on 42 samples of mountain cultivated ginseng collected. A total of 95 plant species were identified. The correlation analysis was made on the six main species with an occurrence frequency of higher than 33%， and they were all positively correlated. Asarum heterotropoides var. mandshuricum was the strongest，which was followed by Schisandra chinensis， and Tilia tuan was the strongest in the arbor layer. The survey also found many problems in these areas，such as fewer large-scale planting bases， more scattered households，mixed germplasms，irregular planting techniques，simple planting mode and less sources of economic income generation. Conclusion:Xifeng county，Kuandian county and Huanren county of Liaoning province boast a superior ecological environment and abundant resources of mountain cultivated P. ginseng. The survey gets the whole picture of the ecological environment and associated plants of mountain cultivated P. ginseng in representative areas of Liaoning province，so as to provide the basis for the further development of mountain cultivated P. ginseng cultivation industry and the promotion of mountain cultivated Panax ginseng economy.

Effect of Transplanting Densities on Growth, Development, Yield and Quality of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::Astragali Radix is an important medicinal and edible herb. To achieve standardized cultivation of Astragali Radix and improve cultivation results, Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus was cultivated with a row spacing of 30 cm and different plant spacing (8, 10, 12, 14, 16 cm) in a test base of Longxi County, Gansu Province. Method::The growth and development dynamics of green strains and the yield and quality of medicinal materials were measured, and the comprehensive evaluation of membership function was used to determine the rational transplanting density and explore the standard production technology of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. Result::The transplanting topping had a significant effect on the growth and development of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus under the condition of the row spacing of 30 cm. With the increase of topping, the biomass of astragalus on the ground decreased, and the ratio of root to shoot increased, but the yield of medicinal material per unit area decreased. The appearance traits were improved as the transplant density decreased. Under the row spacing of 14 cm, the content of astragaloside and calycosin-7-glucoside were the highest. Under the row spacing of 8-16 cm, the content of root extract of Astragali Radix was better than the Chinese Pharmacopoeia standard. The comprehensive evaluation index of each plant spacing treatment was 14 cm>16 cm>10 cm>8 cm>12 cm in turn. Conclusion::Combined with the comprehensive evaluation of yield and economic benefit, the optimal transplanting plant spacing and row spacing were 30 cm×14 cm (with the density of 238 100 strains/hm2). Under this density, A. membranaceus var. mongholicus grows vigorously, with thick stems, big root crowns, a high yield and high quality.

EphrinA1/EphA2 Promotes Epithelial Hyperpermeability Involving in Lipopolysaccharide-induced Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction

Background/Aims@#Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the key factor inducing mucosal and systemic inflammation in various intestinal and parenteral diseases, which could initially disrupt the epithelial barrier function. EphrinA1/ephA2 is speculated to increase the epithelial permeability for its “repulsive interaction” between adjacent cells. This study aim to investigate the role of ephrinA1/ephA2 in LPS-induced epithelial hyperpermeability. @*Methods@#In vivo model challenged with oral LPS in C57BL/6 mice and in vitro model exposed to LPS in Caco2 monolayer were established. The barrier function was assessed including expression of tight junction proteins (occludin and claudin-1), transepithelial electrical resistance, and permeability to macromolecules (fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled fluorescent dextran 4 kDa [FD4]). Moreover, the expression and phosphorylation of ephrinA1/ephA2 were quantified, and its roles in the process of epithelial barrier disruption were confirmed via stimulating ephA2 with ephrinA1-Fc chimera (ephrinA1-Fc) and inactivating ephA2 with ephA2-Fc chimera (ephA2-Fc), or ephA2 monoclonal antibody (ephA2-mab), as well as inhibiting extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) with PD98059. @*Results@#LPS induced significant barrier dysfunction with dismissed occludin and claudin-1 expression, reduced transepithelial electrical resistance and increased FD4 permeability, accompanied by upregulated ephrinA1/ephA2 pathway and phosphorylation of ephA2 receptor. Furthermore, ephA2-Fc, and ephA2-mab ameliorated LPS-induced epithelial hyperpermeability, which was also inhibited by PD98059. Additionally, ephrinA1-Fc led to apparent epithelial leakage in Caco2 monolayer by promoting the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, which could be obviously blocked by ephA2-mab and PD98059. @*Conclusion@#EphrinA1/ephA2 promotes epithelial hyperpermeability with an ERK1/2-dependent pathway, which involves in LPS-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction.

Clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal symptoms and liver function injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 / 中华消化杂志

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal symptoms and liver function injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods:From January 23, 2020 to February 29, 2020, the medical records of 251 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the West Campus of the Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, were collected. The proportion of the patients with gastrointestinal symptoms including anorexia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain were analyzed respectively. The patients were divided into common type (76 cases), severe type (65 cases) and critical type (110 cases). The incidence of liver function injury and the changes of liver function parameters such as total bilirubin (TBil), direct bilirubin (DBil), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), albumin and globulin of the patients with different clinical types and with or without gastrointestinal symptoms were analyzed. Mann-Whitney U test, Chi square test and Fisher′s exact test were used for statistical analysis. Results:The main gastrointestinal symptoms of patients with COVID-19 were anorexia (33.9%, 85/251), diarrhea (12.0%, 30/251), nausea and vomiting (7.6%, 19/251) and abdominal pain (1.2%, 3/251). 143 patients (57.0%) had liver function injury, the rate of liver function injury in critical type patients was 75.5% (83/110), which was higher than that of common type patients (40.8%, 31/76) and severe type patients (44.6%, 29/65), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=22.765 and 16.865, both P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with liver function injury between common type and severe type patients ( P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of liver function injury between patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and those without gastrointestinal symptoms (57.8%(67/116) vs. 56.3%(76/135), P>0.05). The median values of TBil, DBil, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, LDH and globulin level of critical type patients were 13.5 μmol/L, 4.9 μmol/L, 44.5 U/L, 50.0 U/L, 64.0 U/L, 41.0 U/L, 527.0 U/L and 33.6 g/L respectively. The proportions of critical type patients with TBil level >34.2 μmol/L, DBil level>13.6 μmol/L, ALT level>80 U/L and AST level>80 U/L were 7.3% (8/110), 7.3% (8/110), 17.3% (19/110) and 17.3% (19/110), respectively. These results were all higher than those of common type patients (9.5 μmol/L, 2.9 μmol/L, 28.5 U/L, 28.5 U/L, 54.0 U/L, 25.5 U/L, 225.5 U/L, 30.1 g/L, 0, 0, 6.6% (5/76) and 2.6% (2/76) ) and severe type patients (10.4 μmol/L, 3.4 μmol/L, 30.0 U/L, 31.0 U/L, 49.0 U/L, 25.0 U/L, 284.0 U/L, 30.7 g/L, 0, 0, 6.2% (4/65) and 1.5% (1/65)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-4.264, -5.507, -4.000, -6.558, -3.112, -4.333, -4.858, -3.873, Fisher′s exact test, Fisher′s exact test, χ2=4.574, 9.620; Z=-3.060, -3.850, -3.923, -5.005, -9.495, -7.651, -3.853, -2.725, Fisher′s exact test, Fisher′s exact test, χ2=4.425, 10.169; all P<0.01). The median values of pre-albumin level, albumin level and the albumin to globulin ratio of critical type patients were 85.3 g/L, 28.2 g/L and 0.8, which were all lower than those of common type patients (157.3 g/L, 32.3 g/L and 1.1, respectively) and severe type patients (133.6 g/L, 31.6 g/L and 1.1, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-6.631, -3.647, -4.924, -4.503, -5.283 and -3.903, all P<0.01). The median albumin level of patients with diarrhea was lower than that of patients without diarrhea (28.2 g/L vs. 30.5 g/L), the proportion of diarrhea patients whose TBil level >20.0 to 34.2 μmol/L was higher than that of patients without diarrhea (70.0%, 21/30 vs. 10.9%, 24/221), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.182, χ2 =62.788; both P<0.05). Conclusions:Anorexia is the most common digestive symptom in COVID-19 patients, and the incidences of abdominal pain is low. The incidence of liver function injury of critical type patients is high. There is no significant correlation between gastrointestinal symptoms and liver function injury, and patients with diarrhea have lower albumin levels.

Surgical treatment of type A aortic dissection in elderly patients / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To analyze the clinical efficacy of surgical treatment of elderly patients with type A aortic dissection(TAAD).Methods:A retrospective study including 139 elderly patients(age≥60 years) with TAAD between August 2016 to August 2018 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital was performed. There were 90 male patients(64.7%) and 49 female patients(35.3%), aged 60-80(65.1±3.8)years. All patients completed the necessary preoperative examination, 123 patients underwent emergency surgery and the other 16 patients underwent elective surgery. Deep hypothermia circulatory arrest(DHCA) and selective cerebral perfusion(SCP) were used in arch surgery. The root surgery was divided into Bentall, Wheat, David and ascending aorta replacement and the arch surgery was divided into partial aortic arch replacement, classic Sun's procedure, and modified Sun's procedure. Bypass surgery was done when pressure difference(≥40 mmHg, 5.33 kPa) between upper and lower extremities existed. Other combined heart diseases were treated at the same time.Results:Operative mortality rate was 5.0%(7 cases), 5 case(3.6%)with multiple organ dystuaction syndrome, 1 case(0.7%)with respiratory failure and 1 case(0.7%) with heart failure. The postoperative complications were hypoxemia(12.2%), neurological complications(10.8%), acute kidney injury(13.7%).Conclusion:Surgical treatment is the first choice for aged patients with TAAD and individualized treatment is safe and effective.

UPLC fingerprint and multi-components content determination of different processed products of Angelica sinensis / 中国中药杂志

Ten batches of Angelica sinensis from three producing areas( Tuoxiang,Minxian and Weiyuan of Gansu province) were selected as the research objects,and processed into raw A. sinensis,A. sinensis with alcohol,and A. sinensis with soil respectively through the standard processing methods. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography( UPLC) was used to establish fingerprint for three processed products of A. sinensis,and determine the contents of 9 phenolic acids and phthalide compounds. The similarity was analyzed with Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine,which showed that the chromatographic peaks of the same processed samples of A. sinensis were basically similar,with all similarities greater than 0. 950. The difference between different processed products and their control spectra was not obvious,with all similarities also higher than 0. 950.On the basis of using principal component analysis( PCA) and OPLS-DA to seek the difference components between groups,the improved distance coefficient method can be used to effectively distinguish the three processed products of A. sinensis by fingerprint similarity. At the same time,the determination method of nine phenolic acids and phthalide in A. sinensis was established by UPLC,and the comparison between different processed products was carried out. The results showed that the content of various components was changed as compared with the raw A. sinensis. The contents of coniferyl ferulate and ligustilide in the A. sinensis with alcohol were increased significantly,and the content of coniferyl ferulate was obviously increased in A. sinensis with soil. The method established in this paper can effectively distinguish different processed products of A. sinensis and determine the content of the main components in them.

Comparative Toxicity of Nanomaterials to Air-blood Barrier Permeability Using an In Vitro Model / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#To comparatively study the toxicity of four metal-containing nanoparticles (MNPs) and their chemical counterparts to the air-blood barrier (ABB) permeability using an in vitro model.@*METHODS@#ABB model, which was developed via the co-culturing of A549 and pulmonary capillary endothelium, was exposed to spherical CuO-NPs (divided into CuO-40, CuO-80, and CuO-100 based on particle size), nano-Al2O3 (sheet and short-rod-shaped), nano-ZnO, nano-PbS, CuSO4, Al2(SO4)3, Zn(CH3COO)2, and Pb(NO3)2 for 60 min. Every 10 min following exposure, the cumulative cleared volume (ΔTCL) of Lucifer yellow by the model was calculated. A clearance curve was established using linear regression analysis of ΔTCL versus time. Permeability coefficient (P) was calculated based on the slope of the curve to represent the degree of change in the ABB permeability.@*RESULTS@#The results found the increased P values of CuO-40, CuO-80, sheet, and short-rod-shaped nano-Al2O3, Al2(SO4)3, and Pb(NO3)2. Among them, small CuO-40 and CuO-80 were stronger than CuO-100 and CuSO4; no difference was observed between Al2(SO4)3 and sheet and short-rod-shaped nano-Al2O3; and nano-PbS was slightly weaker than Pb(NO3)2. So clearly the MNPs possess diverse toxicity.@*CONCLUSION@#ABB permeability abnormality means pulmonary toxicity potential. More studies are warranted to understand MNPs toxicity and ultimately control the health hazards.

Psychosocial Factors Associated With Irritable Bowel Syndrome Development in Chinese College Freshmen

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The role of psychosocial factors on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adolescents is incompletely understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the psychosocial factors and the risk of developing IBS in college freshmen. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a randomly selected freshmen population in Wuhan China (n = 2449). Questionnaire evaluated demographics and psychosocial risks. The population was divided into 3 groups: non-discomfort, chronic abdominal discomfort and IBS. The association between the development of IBS and psychosocial factors was analyzed by ordinal and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2053 (83.8%) completed this survey (mean age, 18.2 ± 0.9 years; female, 35.6%). Among them, 82 (4.0%) fulfilled the Rome III criteria for IBS. Female (odds ratio [OR], 3.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.47–4.45), experience of abuse (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.10–5.56), and suicidal intention (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.15–4.17) were more likely to have IBS. Compared with chronic abdominal discomfort, however, depression (OR, 5.55; 95% CI, 1.36–22.71) was the only dependent risk factor for IBS. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IBS in college freshmen is 4.0%, and to the freshmen, psychosocial factors such as experience of abuse, depression, and suicidal intention were associated with high risk of developing IBS.

Establishment and evaluation of a novel and non-invasive diagnostic model on cirrhotic patients / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective To establish and evaluate a novel and non-invasive diagnostic model using routine laboratory serological indexes in cirrhotic patients.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 1044 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated by hepatectomy in the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from September 2013 to December 2016.These patients were divided into a training cohort (n =783) and a validation cohort (n =261) using the 3 ∶ 1 matching principle.Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors related to occurrence of cirrhosis in the training cohort,and then a PPH score was established.The accuracy of the model in predicting cirrhosis in two groups was evaluated respectively by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and goodness of fit,and compared with the following commonly used predictive systems:the model for endstage liver disease (MELD) score,fibrosis index based on 4 factor score (FIB-4),Forns score and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index score (APRI).Results Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis in the training cohort showed prothrombin time,platelet count and hepatitis B surface antigen positivity were closely related to occurrence of cirrhosis.The accuracy of the PPH score (AUC =0.705) in diagnosing cirrhosis in the training cohort was significantly better than the MELD score (AUC =0.557),APRI score (AUC =0.598),FIB-4 score (AUC =0.597) and Forns score (AUC =0.665).Similar results were obtained in the validation cohort (AUC:0.702 vs 0.554 vs 0.624 vs 0.634 vs 0.580).The goodness of fit indicated that there was no significant difference between the actual and predicted values of cirrhosis in the two cohorts,and the model was in good agreement.Conclusions A novel and non-invasive model for the diagnosis of cirrhosis was successfully established.The accuracy of this model in diagnosing cirrhosis was better than the MELD,APRI,Fib-4 and Forns scores.This model has significance in guiding clinical treatment decision in HCC patients with cirrhosis.