[Detection of PIK3CA gene mutation and its related prognosis in colorectal cancer based on next-generation sequencing].

Objectives: To investigate the mutation of PIK3CA in colorectal cancer and to analyze their clinicopathological features, and evaluate their role in clinical treatment and prognostication. Methods: A total of 128 paraffin-embbeded tissue samples of colorectal cancer from Shanxi Cancer Hospital from 2018 to 2021 were collected. DNA was extracted from the samples, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to detect PIK3CA mutation. The relationship between PIK3CA mutation, their clinicopathological features, and prognosis were analyzed. Results: Among the 128 colorectal cancer samples, there were 75 males and 53 females; with aged range 32-86 years, median 61.5 years, 27 (21.09%) had PIK3CA mutations. Colorectal cancer with PIK3CA mutation was more likely to occur in male patients (P=0.007), which was related to tumor site (P=0.032), tumor size (P=0.029) and TP53 wild-type (P=0.001). The common site mutations of PIK3CA mostly occurred in tumors with tumor mutation burden≥10 Muts/Mb (P=0.031).PIK3CA mutation had no significant effect on the survival prognosis of patients, but the efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapy was poor in these patients. Conclusions: PIK3CA mutation is a common mutation in colorectal cancer and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer. PIK3CA mutation may lead to resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs in colorectal cancer, but its impact on survival and prognosis to patients needs further study.

Andrographolide restored production performances and serum biochemical indexes and attenuated organs damage in Mycoplasma gallisepticum-infected broilers.

1. This study aimed to study the preventive and therapeutic effects of andrographolide (Andro) during Mycoplasma gallisepticum HS strain (MG) infection in ArborAcres (AA) broilers.2. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Andro against MG was measured. Broiler body weight, feed efficiency, morbidity, cure rate and mortality were recorded during the experiment. Air sac lesion scores and immune organ index were calculated. Expression of pMGA1.2 in lung tissue and serum biochemical indices were examined. Histopathological examinations of immune organs, liver, trachea and lung tissue were conducted by Haematoxylin and Eosin stain.3. MIC was 3.75 µg/mL and Andro significantly inhibited the expression of pMGA1.2 (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro low-dose and high-dose prevention reduced the morbidity of chronic respiratory disease in 40.00% and 50.00%, respectively. Mortality of C, D and E group was 16.67%, 10.00% and 6.67%, respectively. Cure rate of E, F, G and H group was 92.00%, 92.86%, 93.33% and 100.0%, respectively. Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro treatment significantly increased average weight gain (AWG), relative weight gain rate (RWG) and feed conversion rate (FCR) at 18 to 24 days (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with control group, Andro alone treatment significantly increased AWG in broilers (P ≤ 0.05).4. Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro significantly attenuated MG-induced air sac lesion, immune organs, liver, trachea and lung damage in broilers. Andro alone treatment did not induce abnormal morphological changes in these organs in healthy broilers. Serum biochemical analysis results showed, comparing with control MG-infected group, Andro significantly decreased the content of total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, urea, creatinine, uric acid, total cholesterol, and increased the albumin/globulin ratio and content of alkaline phosphatase, apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A-I in a dose-dependent manner (P ≤ 0.05).5. Andro could act as a potential agent against MG infection in broilers.

A 2-bp deletion in intron 1 of TMEM182 is associated with TMEM182 mRNA expression and chicken body weight.

1. Searching for molecular markers related to growth and carcase traits plays a critical role in improvement of the production performance of broilers. Previous studies found that transmembrane protein 182 (TMEM182) inhibits skeletal muscle development, growth, and regeneration, implying that the TMEM182 gene plays an important role during the development process of skeletal muscle.2. A novel 2-bp indel in intron 1 of TMEM182 was detected in a yellow chicken population derived from the cross of White Recessive Rock chickens with Xinghua chickens, and three genotypes II (inserted homozygote), ID (inserted and deleted heterozygote) and DD (deleted homozygote) were observed. Association analyses indicated that the indel was significantly associated with the body weight, muscle fibre area, breast muscle weight and wing weight in the F2 population.3. The expression of TMEM182 in leg muscle of chickens with II genotype was higher than that with DD genotype, with the 2-bp indel located in one of the putative PAX4 binding sites. Further research through luciferase assays revealed that the PAX4 could bind to the putative binding site and increase the TMEM182 transcription, with the 2-bp deletion disrupting the binding of PAX4.4. The present study provides evidence for the association of the novel 2-bp indel in intron 1 of TMEM182 with the growth and carcase traits of chickens. This 2-bp indel could be used as a genetic marker in broiler breeding.

[Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in oral and maxillofacial regions: An analysis of 369 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and factors influencing the prognosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in oral and maxillofacial regions. METHODS: Clinicopathological data of 369 patients with oral and maxillofacial NHL initially diagnosed in Peking University Hospital of Stomatology from 2008 to 2020 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 180 males and 189 females. The median age of the patients was 56 years (3 months to 92 years), and the median duration was three months. Clinically, 283 cases manifested as mass, 38 cases as ulcerative necrotizing lesions, and 48 cases as diffuse soft tissue swelling. The lesions of 90 cases located in face and neck (75 cases neck, 20.3%), 99 cases were of major salivary glands (79 cases parotid glands, 20.9%), 103 cases of oral cavity, 50 cases of maxillofacial bones, 20 cases of Waldeyer's ring, and 7 cases of infratemporal fossa. In the study, 247 of the 369 patients had cervical lymphadenopathy, only 40 cases had B symptoms, and 23 cases had the bulky disease. Of the 369 NHLs, 299 (81%) were B-cell NHL, and 70(19%) were T-cell NHL. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, follicular lymphoma, and extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma nasal type were the most common pathological subtypes. According to Ann Arbor staging, 87, 138, 106, and 38 cases were classified as staged Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, respectively. The me-dian follow-up time was 48 months, 164 patients died during the follow-up period. The overall survival rates for one year, two years, and five years were 90.1%, 82.4%, and 59.9%, respectively, and the median survival was (86.00±7.98) months. Multivariate analysis showed that age (P < 0.001), Ann Arbor staging (P < 0.001), elevated lactate dehydrogenase (P=0.014), and pathological subtype (P=0.049) were the independent factors influencing the overall survival rate of NHL patients. CONCLUSION: Oral and maxillofacial NHL has unique clinical characteristics and distribution patterns of pathological subtypes. Fewer patients had systemic symptoms. Neck and parotid glands were the most common sites invaded by NHL. Advanced age, Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, B symptoms, and T-cell NHL may predict a poor prognosis in oral and maxillofacial NHL patients.

[Analysis the effect of cytokine-induced killer cells combined with mFOLFOX6 regimen in chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer].

Objective: To investigate the effect of cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK) combined with mFOLFOX6 regimen (fluorouracil+oxaliplatin+calcium folinate) on advanced colorectal cancer. Methods: 161 patients with advanced colon cancer admitted to the Fourth Clinical College of Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang Central Hospital of Henan Province from 2019 to 2021 were selected and divided into the study group (mFOLFOX6 regimen chemotherapy+CIK therapy) with 80 cases and the control group (mFOLFOX6 regimen chemotherapy) with 81 cases. The KPS score, median survival time, progression-free survival time, the proportion of Treg in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the levels of CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, the expression levels of Foxp3 and CD127 mRNA, the quality-of-life score and the occurrence of toxic and side effects were compared between the two groups before and after chemotherapy. Results: The ages of patients in the study group and the control group were (64.8±7.5) and (66.1±7.0) years old, respectively, and the proportions of males were 62.5% (50 cases) and 50.6% (41 cases), respectively (both P values>0.05). After 2 cycles of chemotherapy and at the end of chemotherapy, the proportions of Treg, Foxp3 and CD127 mRNA in the study group were lower than those in the control group [2 cycles of chemotherapy: (4.33±0.86)% vs (4.89±1.20)%, (0.61±0.22) vs (0.73±0.20), (0.58±0.13) vs (0.70±0.15); after chemotherapy: (2.66±0.70)% vs (3.31±0.84)%, (0.43±0.18) vs (0.51±0.16), (0.41±0.10) vs (0.50±0.13)] (all P values<0.05). The KPS scores of the study group were higher than those of the control group [2 cycles of chemotherapy: (68.41±5.41) points vs (65.38±5.11) points; after chemotherapy: (72.08±5.94) points vs (67.95±5.51) points] (all P values<0.05). The median survival time of the study group was (16.8±2.2) months, which was higher than that of the control group [(11.2±1.8) months]. The progression-free survival time of the study group was also higher than that of the control group [(9.5±1.1) months vs (6.4±1.2) months], and the mortality rate was lower than that of the control group [11.3% (9 cases) vs 31.3% (25 cases)] (all P values<0.001). After chemotherapy, the scores of physical function, emotional function and role function in the study group were higher than those in the control group, and the scores of pains, fatigue and insomnia in the study group were lower than those in the control group (all P values<0.05). Conclusions: CIK combined with mFOLFOX6 regimen for advanced colorectal cancer can improve and regulate the immune function of patients, prolong the survival time of patients, and enhance the quality of life of patients.

[A follow-up study on the pain changes trend and effects in patients diagnosed with herpes zoster in Beijing City].

Objective: To understand the changes in pain and its effects in patients with the diagnosis of herpes zoster. Methods: A total of 3 487 patients diagnosed with herpes zoster (HZ) for the first time at the outpatient department of Miyun District Hospital from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019, were included in the study. The information of patients was registered and issued with a record card. Patients were required to record the time of pain and rash by themselves. Telephone follow-up was conducted at 21, 90, 180 and 365 days after the onset of rashes, including hospitalization, location of rash and pain, and the time of start and end. The impact of pain on life was evaluated by the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI). Results: The age of 2 999 HZ patients included in the analysis were (53±16) years old, including 1 377 (45.91%) males and 1 903 (63.45%) patients aged 50 years and older. After 21 days of rash, mild, moderate and severe pain accounted for 20.87% (626 cases), 37.98% (1 139 cases) and 33.81% (1 014 cases), respectively. Only 5.07% (152 cases) had no pain or discomfort, and 2.27% (68 cases) had no pain but discomfort. Most of the pain sites were consistent with the rash sites. The chest and back and waist and abdomen were the most common, accounting for 35.58% (1 067 cases) and 29.18% (875 cases), respectively, followed by the limbs and face and neck, accounting for 16.74% (502 cases) and 16.40% (492 cases), respectively. The M (Q1, Q3) of pain days in the HZ patients was 14 (8, 20) days, and the incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) was 6.63% (171/2 580) (excluding 419 patients who refused to visit or lost to visit on 90 days after the onset of rash). The pain score of HZ patients within 21 days after the rash was (5.19±2.73) points, and the pain score of PHN patients was (7.61±2.13) points, which was significantly higher than that of non-PHN patients [(5.04±2.69) points] (P<0.001). Daily activities, emotions, walking ability, work, social interaction, sleep and recreation were affected for 21 days after the rash in HZ patients, ranging from 60.79% to 83.83%, with sleep being the most affected (83.83%). The impact scores of pain and life dimensions in PHN patients ranged from 4.59 to 7.61 points on the ZBPI scale, which were higher than those in non-PHN patients (2.49-5.04) (t values ranged from 8.86 to 11.67, all P values <0.001). Conclusion: The proportion of pain in HZ patients after the diagnosis is high, and the pain is more obvious in patients with PHN and HZ patients aged 50 and older, which has a greater impact on their daily lives.

[Significance of soluble PD-L1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C].

Objective: The programmed death receptor 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway can negatively regulate the immune response of the body, and serum soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) can reflect the expression level of PD-L1. This study aims to compare the expressional differences of sPD-L1 in serum between patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) and further explore the factors influencing the clinical cure of CHB. Methods: 60 cases with CHB, 40 cases with CHC, and 60 healthy controls were selected. Serum levels of sPD-L1 were detected using an ELISA kit. The relationship between sPD-L1 levels and viral load, liver injury indicators, and others was analyzed in CHB and CHC patients. According to the distribution type of the data, a one-way ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis test as well as Pearson's correlation or Spearman's rank correlation analysis were performed. A difference of P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The serum sPD-L1 levels were significantly higher in CHB patients (414.6 ± 214.9) pg/ml than those in CHC patients (58.9 ± 122.1) pg/ml and the healthy control group (66.27 ± 24.43) pg/ml, and there was no statistically significant difference in serum sPD-L1 between CHC patients and the healthy control group. Further grouping and correlation analysis showed that the level of serum sPD-L1 was positively correlated with the content of HBsAg in CHB patients but not with HBV DNA, alanine transaminase, albumin, and other liver injury indicators. Additionally, there was no correlation between serum sPD-L1 levels, HCV RNA, and liver injury indicators in CHC patients. Conclusion: The serum sPD-L1 levels are significantly higher in CHB patients than those in the healthy control group and the CHC group, and there is a positive correlation between sPD-L1 levels and HBsAg. The persistent presence of HBsAg is an important mechanism for the activity of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, indicating that the activity of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway may be an important factor that cannot be clinically cured in CHB as in CHC.

[Advances in clinical diagnosis and treatment of drug-induced liver injury in children].

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the most common adverse drug reactions that may seriously threaten the health of children and is receiving increasing clinical attention day by day. There is still no independent diagnosis and treatment guideline for DILI in children, but its clinical features are not completely similar to those in adults. This article reviews the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment progress in order to provide a reference for the management of DILI in children.

[Effect of Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein Rv0309 on intracellular survival of Mycobacterium smegmatis by inhibiting macrophage autophagy via protein STUB1].

Objective: To investigate the molecular regulatory mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) protein Rv0309 to promote the survival of Mycobacterium smegmatis (Ms) in macrophages. Methods: Using Ms as a model to study Mycobacterium tuberculosis, recombinant Ms transfected with pMV261 and PMV261-RV0309 in the control group and RAW264.7 cells were constructed. The effect of Rv0309 protein on intracellular survival of Ms was investigated by counting colony forming units (CFUs). Mass spectrometry was used to screen proteins interacting with host protein Rv0309, and immunocoprecipitate (Co-IP) was used to verify that host protein STUB1 could interact with host protein Rv0309. STUB1 gene knock-out RAW264.7 cells were infected with Ms, and CFUs were counted to explore the effect of protein Rv0309 on intracellular survival of Ms after STUB1 gene knock-out. STUB1 gene knock-out RAW264.7 cells were infected with Ms, and after obtaining samples, Western blotting assay was performed to explore the effect of protein Rv0309 on autophagy function of macrophages after STUB1 gene knock-out. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8 software. T-test was selected for analysis in this experiment, with P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Western blotting showed that Rv0309 was expressed in M. smegmatis and secreted extracellularly. The CFUs of the Ms-Rv0309 group was higher than that of Ms-pMV261 group at 24 h after THP-1 macrophage infection, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The trend of infected RAW264.7 macrophages was the same as that of infected THP-1 macrophages. The Co-IP results showed that the corresponding Flag and HA bands appeared in the results of immunoprecipitation (IP):Flag and IP: HA. The level of CFUs in the experimental group with STUB1 deletion was significantly higher than that in the control group without STUB1 deletion. Compared with Ms-pMV261, the CFUs in the Ms-Rv0309 group was significantly higher than that in the Ms-pMV261 group. The gray scale of LC3Ⅱ bands of Ms-Rv0309 in experimental group was lighter than that of Ms-pMV261 in the control group at the corresponding time point, and the result was most significant at 8 h (LC3Ⅱ/ß-actin: 0.76±0.05 vs 0.47±0.07), the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). After STUB1 genome knock-out, the gray level of LC3Ⅱ bands at the corresponding time was lighter than that without STUB1 genome knock-out. Comparison of the results of Ms-pMV261 and Ms-Rv0309 strains revealed that LC3Ⅱ band gray Rv0309 group was lighter at the corresponding time compared with pMV261 group. Conclusions: MTB protein Rv0309 can be successfully expressed in M. smegmatis and secreted extracellularly, which can inhibit the autophagy process of macrophages. Protein Rv0309 interacts with host protein STUB1 to inhibit macrophage autophagy and promote intracellular survival of Ms.

[Appropriate selection of multimodal fundus imaging approaches].

With the advancement of science and technology, fundus imaging modalities are rapidly changing and constantly being introduced, playing an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of fundus diseases, as well as in follow-up and prognostic assessment. Clinicians need to update their knowledge and concepts, rationally select a variety of imaging tests for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, and consider the use of different test protocols in different clinical scenarios. This article summarizes the advantages and limitations of commonly used fundus imaging techniques based on the international research findings and personal clinical experience, with the aim of providing guidance and reference for the rational selection of multimodal fundus imaging approaches in clinical practice.

[Toxic retinopathy caused by veterinary antiparasitic closantel: a case report].

A 32-year-old female patient presented with bilateral vision loss for 2 months following her intake of various antiparasitic drugs, including closantel, a veterinary drug, for a self-perceived intraocular parasitic infection. Swept-source optical coherence tomography revealed diffuse hyperreflectivity between the outer nuclear layer and the retinal pigment epithelium, as well as the largely indistinguishable outer retinal layers. This case was clinically diagnosed with veterinary closantel-induced toxic retinopathy and had a poor visual prognosis after nerve nutrition and circulation improvement therapy due to the long duration of the disease.

Knee symptom but not radiographic knee osteoarthritis increases the risk of falls and fractures: results from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the effect of knee symptoms and radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) on the risk of falls, recurrent falls, and fractures. DESIGN: Participants from the Osteoarthritis Initiative were classified as having 'no', 'unilateral' or 'bilateral' knee symptoms (≥19 on a 0-96 Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) and ROA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥2) for each visit. Self-reported falls and fractures in the past 12 months were extracted at baseline and follow-up visits until month 96. Recurrent falls were defined as having ≥2 falls in the past 12 months. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using mixed-effects complementary log-log regression. RESULTS: Of 4465 participants, 3145 (70%), 1681 (38%), and 806 (18%) experienced at least one fall, recurrent fall, and fracture, respectively, over 96 months. Compared to participants without symptomatic knee, unilateral and bilateral knee symptoms were associated with a 17% increased risk of falls and a 36-46% increased risk of recurrent falls, and bilateral knee symptoms increased the risk of fractures (HR 1.45, 95%CI 1.17 to 1.81). Compared to participants with no ROA in either knee, bilateral ROA was associated with a reduced risk of falls (HR 0.87, 95%CI 0.77 to 0.99) and fractures (HR 0.78, 95%CI 0.64 to 0.96). No statistically significant interactions between knee symptoms and ROA were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This large population-based study showed that knee symptoms but not ROA increased the risk of falls, recurrent falls, and fractures, and that adults with bilateral ROA may have a lower risk of falls and fractures.

[The expression and clinical significance of neutrophil myeloperoxidase in patients with myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis].

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) in patients with MPO-antibody associated vasculitis (AAV). Methods: Thirty-six newly diagnosed MPO-AAV patients who were hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University from July 2018 to June 2021 were enrolled,and 36 age and sex matched healthy subjects were selected as controls. Neutrophil MPO level was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and MPO mRNA was tested by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in all subjects. Serum complement fragment C5 (C5a) and MPO in both groups and serum MPO-anti-antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA) in MPO-AAV group were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while the disease activity was evaluated by Birmingham vasculitis activity score-V3 (BVAS-V3). Results: Compared with the heathy control group, the expression of MPO mRNA in neutrophils, serum MPO and complement C5a in MPO-AAV group were significantly higher[MPO mRNA:30.2±11.5 vs. 1.9±0.6, P<0.001;MPO:(112.0±68.7) IU/L vs. (87.4±22.9) IU/L, P=0.01; C5a:(187.3±90.3) ng/ml vs. (107.3±31.1) ng/ml, P<0.001; respectively], while the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of MPO in neutrophils were significantly lower [ 1 343.3±723.4 vs. 2 868.0±1 136.5, P<0.001]. In MPO-AAV group, the expression of neutrophil MPO mRNA was positively correlated with serum MPO-ANCA and MPO levels (r=0.537, P=0.001 and r=0.358, P=0.032; respectively). Multiple regression analysis suggested that neutrophil MPO mRNA expression was positively correlated with serum MPO-ANCA level (ß=0.695, P=0.006); neutrophil MPO level was negatively correlated with serum MPO-ANCA, MPO and complement C5a levels (r=-0.335, P=0.046; r=-0.372, P=0.026; r=-0.577, P<0.001; respectively). Further, neutrophil MPO level was negatively correlated with serum complement C5a level (ß=-0.374, P=0.043). BVAS-V3 was positively correlated with MPO mRNA expression in neutrophils, serum MPO-ANCA, MPO and complement C5a (r=0.598, P<0.001; r=0.599, P<0.001; r=0.537, P=0.001; r=0.415, P=0.012; respectively) and negatively correlated with MPO level in neutrophils (r=-0.342, P=0.041). In multiple regression analysis it suggested that BVAS-V3 was positively correlated with MPO mRNA expression in neutrophils (ß=0.511, P=0.002). Conclusion: In MPO-AAV patients, MPO synthesis and release in neutrophils are both significantly increased, which might be influenced by serum MPO-ANCA and C5a, respectively. Furthermore, MPO synthesis activity in neutrophils is an independent factor related to disease activity.

[Clinicopathologic analysis of micro and mini parotid gland tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of micro and mini parotid gland tumors and to provide reference for their clinical diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: Patients with parotid gland tumors treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from December 2012 to April 2020 were selected. Relevant clinical data of the patients with tumor diameter ≤20 mm detected by preoperative CT were collected to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of micro and mini parotid gland tumors. And the collected data were divided into two groups with diameter 11-20 mm and diameter ≤10 mm according to tumor diameter measured by preoperative CT. The clinicopathological differences between the two groups were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 2 067 patients with primary epithelial parotid gland tumors were collected, and 685 patients with tumor diameter ≤20 mm were examined by CT, accounting for 33.1%. The ratio of male to female patients with micro and mini parotid gland tumors was 1 ∶1.93, the average age was (45.3±13.8) years (12-83 years), and the median course of disease was 12 months (1 week to 30 years). Among them, 635 cases (92.7%) were benign tumors, 50 cases (7.3%) were malignant tumors, and the ratio of benign to malignant was 12.7 ∶1. The most common benign tumor was pleomorphic adenoma, and the most common malignant tumor was mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The micro and mini parotid gland tumors were divided into 11-20 mm group (n=611) and ≤10 mm group (n=74), the clinical characteristics comparison of the two groups of gender ratio, average age, course of di-sease had no statistical difference (P>0.05). In the 11-20 mm diameter group, the percentage of benign and malignant tumor was 92.8% (567/611) and 7.2% (44/611) respectively, and the ratio of benign to malignant tumors was 12.9 ∶1. In the ≤10 mm diameter group, the percentage of benign and malignant tumor was 91.9% (68/74) and 8.1% (6/74) respectively, and the ratio of benign to malignant tumors was 11.3 ∶1. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Fifty patients with malignant tumor were followed up for the median follow-up period of 39.5 months (1-91 months). Local recurrence occurred in 2 patients with one death. The overall 2-year survival rate was 93.7% and the 5-year survival rate was 89.3%. CONCLUSION: The majority of micro and mini parotid gland tumors was benign lesion. There was a good prognosis for micro and mini parotid gland carcinoma. Early surgical treatment was recommended for micro and mini parotid gland tumors.

[Clinical analysis of selective tracheostomy necessary for patients undergoing head and neck surgery with free flap reconstruction].

OBJECTIVE: To discover the factors that may affect the use of selective tracheostomy among patients who have undergone head and neck surgeries with free flap reconstruction, so that the patients will not need tracheostomy nor receive the unnecessary treatment. METHODS: Five hundred and thirty-three patients who had undergone head and neck surgery with free flap reconstruction operated by the same team of surgery at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Peking University School of Stomatology from 2015 to 2016 were reviewed. Three hundred and twenty-one (60.2%) of these patients underwent selective tracheostomy. All the patients' demographic information, operation-related information, prior treatments, comorbidities and complications were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The patients with defects of the tongue, mouth floor, oropharynx and bilateral mandible, who underwent neck dissection and with previous radiotherapy and smoking habit were more likely to get selective tracheostomy. Usage of bulky soft tissue flap might also add to the risk of airway obstruction and the need of selective tracheostomy, while other factors were not significantly related to the risk of postoperative airway obstruction and the patients could be kept safe without selective tracheostomy. Most cases without tracheostomy were kept safe except one case, while 8.39% of the patients with tracheostomy suffered from tracheostomy related complications, mainly pneumonia and hemorrhage of the tracheostomy wound, yet none led to serious consequences or even death. CONCLUSION: Selective tracheostomy is not necessary for patients who have undergone head and neck surgeries with free flap reconstruction except that there are defects at the tongue, oropharynx and mandible. Neck dissection, bulky soft tissue flap reconstruction, previous radiotherapy and smoking habit may also add to the risk of postoperative airway obstruction, while a favorable decision would involve a combination of all the above factors to assure the safety of the postoperative airway for the patients undergone head and neck surgeries with free flap reconstruction.

[Clinical effect and influencing factors of pegylated interferon alfa-2a and entecavir monotherapy among children with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B based on a real-world study].

Objective: To compare the efficacy, safety, and influencing factors among children with hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who received short-term therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2a (Peg-IFNα-2a) or continuous therapy with entecavir (ETV). Methods: Quantitative data were compared using analysis of variance to compare the differences between groups. Enumeration data were compared by χ2 test (or Fisher's exact test). Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the influencing factors. Results: Peg-IFNα-2a, ETV, and untreated group had HBsAg clearance rates of 46.2%, 5.3%, and 0 after 52 weeks of therapy, respectively. HBsAg clearance in the patients' group with Peg-IFNα-2a and ETV was all accompanied by anti-HBS positive conversion, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=13.616, P=0.001). Peg-IFNα-2a group was followed-up for 104 weeks. Peg-IFNα-2a, ETV, and the untreated group had HBsAg clearance rates of 46.2%, 10.5%, and 0%, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (χ2=11.056, P=0.004). Only one of the two children with HBsAg clearance in the ETV group had achieved anti-HBs antibodies, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=13.616, P=0.001). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that HBsAg clearance was associated with age and antiviral therapy. During treatment, adverse events such as fever (n=4, 30.8%), rash (n=4, 30.8%), fatigue (n=1, 7.7%), leukopenia (n=7, 53.8%), arthritis (n=1, 7.7%), and alopecia (n=3, 23.1%) were observed in the Peg-IFNα-2a group, while none were observed in the ETV group. Conclusion: Peg-IFNα-2a antiviral therapy produced higher HBsAg clearance than ETV in five-year-old and younger children with HBeAg-positive CHB, while ETV had fewer adverse events and was safer than Peg-IFNα-2a.

Chemosensory proteins participate in insecticide susceptibility in Rhopalosiphum padi, a serious pest on wheat crops.

Rhopalosiphum padi is a worldwide agricultural pest. Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are considered to be a type of transporters which can bind chemicals from external environments. Previous research showed that the expression of some insect CSPs were significantly increased after exposure to insecticides, and CSPs were involved in insecticide resistance or susceptibility. However, the role of CSPs in the susceptibility and response of R. padi to insecticides is still unknown. In this study, we identified eight CSP (RpCSP) from R. padi by genome-wide investigation. Seven RpCSP genes had two exons, while RpCSP7 had three exons. qPCR analyses showed that the mRNA levels of the eight RpCSP genes were significantly affected by imidacloprid and beta-cypermethrin in different post-treatment periods. Molecular docking predicted that there were hydrogen bonding sites which played key roles in binding of RpCSP4, RpCSP5, RpCSP6, RpCSP7 and RpCSP10 with imidacloprid and beta-cypermethrin. Knockdown of RpCSP4, RpCSP5, RpCSP6 and RpCSP10 by RNA interference significantly increased the aphid mortality under two sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid. Mortalities under two sublethal concentrations of beta-cypermethrin conditions were significantly higher after injection of R. padi with dsCSP4 and dsCSP6. The results indicate that some RpCSP genes are involved in the insecticide susceptibility of R. padi.

Synergistic effects ofα-Fe2O3nanoparticles and Fe-doping on gas-sensing performance of NiO nanowires and interface mechanism.

High surface area nickel oxide nanowires (NiO NWs), Fe-doped NiO NWs andα-Fe2O3/Fe-doped NiO NWs were synthesized with nanocasting pathway, and then the morphology, microstructure and components of all samples were characterized with XRD, TEM, EDS, UV-vis spectra and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. Owing to the uniform mesoporous template, all samples with the same diameter exhibit the similar mesoporous-structures. The loadedα-Fe2O3nanoparticles should exist in mesoporous channels between Fe-doped NiO NWs to form heterogeneous contact at the interface of n-typeα-Fe2O3nanoparticles and p-type NiO NWs. The gas-sensing results indicate that Fe-dopant andα-Fe2O3-loading both improve the gas-sensing performance of NiO NWs sensors.α-Fe2O3/Fe-doped NiO NWs sensors presented the highest response to 100 ppm ethanol gas (55.264) compared with Fe-doped NiO NWs (24.617) and NiO NWs sensors (3.189). The donor Fe-dopant increases the ground state resistance and the absorbed oxygen content in air.α-Fe2O3nanoparticles in electron depletion region result in the increasing resistance in ethanol gas and decreasing resistance in air. In this way,α-Fe2O3/Fe-doped NiO NWs sensor presents the excellent gas-sensing performance due to the formation of heterogeneous contact at the interface.

Syphilis infection and epidemiological characteristics in Haidian District, Beijing, China, 2013-2018.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of syphilis between 2013 and 2018 in the Haidian District of Beijing in China. In addition, this study suggests potential strategies to control the spread of syphilis infection. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. METHODS: Data were collected from the Infectious Disease Reporting System at medical institutions within the Haidian District of Beijing between 2013 and 2018. Epidemiological methods, combined with Chi-squared test, were used to analyse the distribution of syphilis in terms of time, region, population and development stage. RESULTS: In total, 3048 patients with syphilis were reported in the Haidian District between 2013 and 2018, with an average annual prevalence of 14.26 per 100,000 population. The prevalence of syphilis was higher in rural than urban regions, and the sex ratio of male-to-female was 1.52:1. Patients aged 20-29 years accounted for 22.60% (689/3048) of the total cases. In terms of occupational distributions, the highest proportion (30.61%; 933/3048) was seen in individuals who were homemakers or unemployed. Latent syphilis was present in 66.83% (2037/3048) of patients and accounted for an increased proportion of syphilis cases each year. CONCLUSIONS: Syphilis was epidemic in the Haidian District of Beijing between 2013 and 2018. High prevalence was seen in young and middle-aged males living in urban areas. The prevalence of syphilis has been increasing since 2016; thus, public health policies and intervention strategies need to be strengthened to curb the spread of infection.

Baicalin ameliorates Mycoplasma gallisepticum-induced lung inflammation in chicken by inhibiting TLR6-mediated NF-κB signalling.

1. Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) causes severe lung inflammation and cell damage by activating toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling, the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway and pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Baicalin (BA) is a flavonoid extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis, which possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This study investigated the effect of BA in MG-induced lung inflammation and its potential mechanism in MG-infected chicken embryo lungs and DF-1 cells.2. The histopathological examination result showed that BA treatment alleviated MG-induced lung pathological changes. In addition, CCK-8 and cell cycle assays showed that BA treatment inhibited MG-induced cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in DF-1 cells.3. The ELISA and RT-qPCR results demonstrated that BA treatment decreased the expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß), IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) both in MG-infected chicken embryo lungs and DF-1 cells.4. The results revealed that BA inhibited mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor-6 (TLR6), myeloid differentiation primary response gene-88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB-p655. In conclusion, the results showed that BA has a protective effect against MG-induced lung inflammation in chicken by inhibiting the TLR6-mediated NF-κB signalling.