Quality evaluation of animal studies into acupuncture for glaucoma / 中国比较医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the quality of animal studies into acupuncture for glaucoma using SYRCLE's risk of bias tool,ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines,and the GSPC checklist.Methods Databases from CNKI,VIP,Wanfang,Sinomed,PubMed,Web of Science,Embase and Cochrane Library were searched to find animal research articles on acupuncture for glaucoma.Risk of bias was assessed for the included studies using the SYRCLE's tool,and reporting quality was evaluated using the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines and GSPC checklist.Statistical analysis was performed by Excel and SPSS software.Results Thirty articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis.Six of the 10 items of the SYRCLE's tool had a low-risk rate of＜50％,and the non-low-risk items focused on selectivity bias,implementation bias and measurement bias.Twelve of the 22 essential sub-items of the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines had a low-risk rate of＜50％;9 of the 16 recommended sub-items had a low-risk rate of＜50％;and 12 of the 19 subentries of the GSPC list had a low-risk rate of＜50％.Randomization,blinding,ethical statements,housing and husbandry,animal care and monitoring,and protocol registration were the non-low-risk items in the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines and GSPC list.Conclusions The quality of the methodology and experimental reporting of animal studies into acupuncture for glaucoma are generally low,and the description of several items is not yet complete,which affects the readers'judgment on whether the result of animal studies can be translated to clinical studies.It is advisable to further promote the use of SYRCLE's tool and reporting guidelines for animal experiments to enhance the design,performance,and reporting of animal experiments;ensure the reproducibility of experiments and result;and provide reliable evidence for the translation of result to the clinic.

Harmonic waves analysis for observing morphological brain network changes in depressive disorder patients / 中国医学影像技术

Objective To explore the feasibility of harmonic waves analysis for observing morphological brain network changes in patients with depressive disorder(DD).Methods Whole brain 3D high resolution T1WI of 55 DD patients(DD group)and 46 normal controls(NC group)were acquired.Six kinds of morphological features brain network were constructed with FreeSurfer tool,including the number of brain region vertices,surface area,gray matter volume,average cortical thickness,Gaussian curvature and fold index.Laplace operator was applied to obtain common harmonic wave.The harmonic power of different morphological features and the gray matter volume in different brain regions were compared between groups.Results No significant difference of total harmonic energy was found between groups.The specific harmonic wave energies were significantly different between groups,including the number of brain region vertices corresponding to the 2nd,6th,15th,44th and 57th harmonic waves,surface area corresponding to the 2nd,6th,16th and 57th harmonic waves,gray matter volume corresponding to the 2nd,12th,13th,15th and 57th harmonic waves,average cortical thickness corresponding to the 2nd,19th,35th,36th and 44th harmonic waves,Gaussian curvature corresponding to the 34th,40th,54th and 57th harmonic waves,as well as fold index corresponding to the 5th,16th,21st and 57th harmonic waves.Gray matter volumes of transverse temporal gyrus in left hemisphere in DD group were significantly larger than that in NC group(t=2.900,P=0.004).Conclusion Harmonic waves analysis was feasible for observing morphological brain network changes in DD patients.

Establishment and validation of a predictive model for the progression of pancreatic cystic lesions based on clinical and CT radiological features / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective:To construct a machine-learning model for predicting the progression of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) based on clinical and CT features, and to evaluate its predictive performance in internal/external testing cohorts.Methods:Baseline clinical and radiological data of 200 PCLs in 177 patients undergoing abdominal thin slice enhanced CT examination at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from July 2014 to December 2022 were retrospectively collected. PCLs were divided into progressive and non-progressive groups according to whether the signs indicated for surgery by the guidelines of the European study group on PCLs were present during three-year follow-up. 200 PCLs were randomly divided into training (150 PCLs) and internal testing cohorts (50 PCLs) at the ratio of 1∶3. 15 PCLs in 14 patients at Jinling Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University from October 2011 to May 2020 were enrolled as external testing cohort. The clinical and CT radiological features were recorded. Multiple feature selection methods and machine-learning models were implemented and combined to identify the optimal machine-learning model based on the 10-fold cross-validation method. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was drawn and area under curve (AUC) was calculated. The model with the highest AUC was determined as the optimal model. The optimal model's predictive performance was evaluated on testing cohort by calculating AUC, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Permutation importance was used to assess the importance of optimal model features. Calibration curves of the optimal model were established to evaluate the model's clinical applicability by Hosmer-Lemeshow test.Results:In training and internal testing cohorts, the progressive and non-progressive groups were significantly different on history of pancreatitis, lesions size, main pancreatic duct diameter and dilation, thick cyst wall, presence of septation and thick septation (all P value <0.05) In internal testing cohort, the two groups were significantly different on gender, lesion calcification and pancreatic atrophy (all P value <0.05). In external testing cohort, the two groups were significantly different on lesions size and pancreatic duct dilation (both P<0.05). The support vector machine (SVM) model based on five features selected by F test (lesion size, thick cyst wall, history of pancreatitis, main pancreatic duct diameter and dilation) achieved the highest AUC of 0.899 during cross-validation. SVM model for predicting the progression of PCLs demonstrated an AUC of 0.909, sensitivity of 82.4%, specificity of 72.7%, and accuracy of 76.0% in the internal testing cohort, and 0.944, 100%, 77.8%, and 86.7% in the external testing cohort. Calibration curved showed that the predicted probability by the model was comparable to the real progression of PCLs. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test affirmed the model's consistency with actual PCLs progression in testing cohorts. Conclusions:The SVM model based on clinical and CT features can help doctors predict the PCLs progression within three-year follow-up, thus achieving efficient patient management and rational allocation of medical resource.

Advances in the application of three-dimensional visualization technique in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) is a parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus multilocularis infection and has wide distribution and great harm in China. At present, ultrasound, CT, and MRI are the main radiological examination methods for HAE, with certain limitations in preoperative diagnosis and evaluation. This article introduces the guiding effect of three-dimensional visualization technique and its derivative technologies in the accurate diagnosis and preoperative evaluation of HAE, so as to provide help for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HAE in the future.

Epidemiological analysis of inpatients with malignant tumor at the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2010 to 2020 / 实用肿瘤学杂志

Objective The aim of this study was to collect diagnosis,treatment,and follow-up information of inpatients with malignant tumors at the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University,analyze the distribution and composition of malignant tumor types,mortality,and survival status,and provide reference for the prevention and treatment of malignant tumors in the local area.Methods The case and mortality data of inpatients with malignant tumor from 2010 to 2020 were calculated,and the survival status was collected by follow-up.The composition,different pathological stage,composition and sequential changes of malignant tumors,as well as survival rates of the 1-year,3-year and 5-year were analyzed.Results A total of 111,418 patients with malig-nant tumor were admitted to the hospital from 2010 to 2020.Breast cancer accounted for 20.67％of inpatients,followed by lung canc-er,thyroid cancer,cervical cancer and gastric cancer;The leading cause of malignant tumor death was lung cancer(accounting for 26.70％),followed by gastric cancer,esophageal cancer,liver cancer and colorectal cancer.The 1-year,3-year,and 5-year sur-vival rates were 87.20％,65.80％and 57.20％,respectively.The overall survival rates of patients with stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ malignant tumors were significantly higher than those of patients with stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ(P=0.003).Conclusion Breast cancer,lung cancer,thyroid cancer,cervical cancer and gastric cancer are the high incidence of malignant tumors in Xinjiang,among which thyroid cancer,breast cancer,and cervical cancer have a higher 5-year survival rate.Early screening,diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors should be strengthened,and prevention strategies and resource allocation should be adjusted in time according to the distribution of malignant tumors to reduce the incidence and mortality of malignant tumor and improve the health level of people in Xinjiang.

Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-supported percutaneous coronary intervention in chronic coronary total occlusion patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and safety of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-supported percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in chronic coronary total occlusion (CTO) patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: The CTO patients with LVEF≤35% and undergoing CTO-PCI assisted by ECMO in the General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from December 2018 to March 2022 were enrolled in this study. The post-procedure complications, changes of LVEF from pre-procedure to post-procedure during hospitalization, and the incidence of all-cause mortality and changes of LVEF after discharge were assessed. Results: A total of 17 patients aged (59.4±11.8) years were included. There were 14 males. The pre-procedure LVEF of these patients were (29.00±4.08)%. Coronary angiography results showed that there were 29 CTO lesions in these 17 patients. There was 1 in left main coronary artery, 7 in left anterior descending artery, 11 in left circumflex artery, and 10 in right coronary artery. ECMO was implanted in all patients before procedure. Among 25 CTO lesions attempted to cross, 24 CTO were successfully implanted with stents. All patients underwent successful PCI for at least one CTO lesion. The number of drug-eluting stents implantation per patient were 4.6±1.3. After procedure, there were 8 patients with hemoglobin decreased>20 g/L, and 1 patient with ECMO-access-site related bleeding. The LVEF value at a median duration of 2.5 (2.0-5.5) days after procedure significantly increased to (38.73±7.01)% (P<0.001 vs. baseline). There were no in-hospital deaths. Patients were followed up for 360 (120, 394) days after discharge, 3 patients died (3/17). The LVEF value was (41.80±7.32)% at 155 (100, 308) days after discharge, which was significantly higher than the baseline value (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results of present study demonstrate that it is feasible, efficient and safe to perform ECMO)-supported CTO-PCI in CTO patients with reduced LVEF.

Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-supported percutaneous coronary intervention in chronic coronary total occlusion patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and safety of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-supported percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in chronic coronary total occlusion (CTO) patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: The CTO patients with LVEF≤35% and undergoing CTO-PCI assisted by ECMO in the General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from December 2018 to March 2022 were enrolled in this study. The post-procedure complications, changes of LVEF from pre-procedure to post-procedure during hospitalization, and the incidence of all-cause mortality and changes of LVEF after discharge were assessed. Results: A total of 17 patients aged (59.4±11.8) years were included. There were 14 males. The pre-procedure LVEF of these patients were (29.00±4.08)%. Coronary angiography results showed that there were 29 CTO lesions in these 17 patients. There was 1 in left main coronary artery, 7 in left anterior descending artery, 11 in left circumflex artery, and 10 in right coronary artery. ECMO was implanted in all patients before procedure. Among 25 CTO lesions attempted to cross, 24 CTO were successfully implanted with stents. All patients underwent successful PCI for at least one CTO lesion. The number of drug-eluting stents implantation per patient were 4.6±1.3. After procedure, there were 8 patients with hemoglobin decreased>20 g/L, and 1 patient with ECMO-access-site related bleeding. The LVEF value at a median duration of 2.5 (2.0-5.5) days after procedure significantly increased to (38.73±7.01)% (P<0.001 vs. baseline). There were no in-hospital deaths. Patients were followed up for 360 (120, 394) days after discharge, 3 patients died (3/17). The LVEF value was (41.80±7.32)% at 155 (100, 308) days after discharge, which was significantly higher than the baseline value (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results of present study demonstrate that it is feasible, efficient and safe to perform ECMO)-supported CTO-PCI in CTO patients with reduced LVEF.

Distinct Neutralizing Antibody Escape of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BA.4.6, BF.7 and BA.2.75.2

Continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has led to the emergence of several new Omicron subvariants, including BQ.1, BQ. 1.1, BA.4.6, BF.7 and BA.2.75.2. Here we examine the neutralization resistance of these subvariants, as well as their ancestral BA.4/5, BA.2.75 and D614G variants, against sera from 3-dose vaccinated health care workers, hospitalized BA.1-wave patients, and BA.5-wave patients. We found enhanced neutralization resistance in all new subvariants, especially the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants driven by a key N460K mutation, and to a lesser extent, R346T and K444T mutations, as well as the BA.2.75.2 subvariant driven largely by its F486S mutation. The BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants also exhibited enhanced fusogenicity and S processing dictated by the N460K mutation. Interestingly, the BA.2.75.2 subvariant saw an enhancement by the F486S mutation and a reduction by the D1199N mutation to its fusogenicity and S processing, resulting in minimal overall change. Molecular modelling revealed the mechanisms of receptor-binding and non-receptor binding monoclonal antibody-mediated immune evasion by R346T, K444T, F486S and D1199N mutations. Altogether, these findings shed light on the concerning evolution of newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants.

Determinants and Mechanisms of the Low Fusogenicity and Endosomal Entry of Omicron Subvariants

The rapid spread and strong immune evasion of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants has raised serious concerns for the global COVID-19 pandemic. These new variants exhibit reduced fusogenicity and increased endosomal entry pathway utilization compared to the ancestral D614G variant, the underlying mechanisms of which remain elusive. Here we show that the C-terminal S1 mutations of the BA.1.1 subvariant, H655Y and T547K, critically govern the low fusogenicity of Omicron. Notably, H655Y also dictates the enhanced endosome entry pathway utilization. Mechanistically, T547K and H655Y likely stabilize the spike trimer conformation, as shown by increased molecular interactions in structural modeling as well as reduced S1 shedding. Importantly, the H655Y mutation also determines the low fusogenicity and high dependence on the endosomal entry pathway of other Omicron subvariants, including BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4/5 and BA.2.75. These results uncover mechanisms governing Omicron subvariant entry and provide insights into altered Omicron tissue tropism and pathogenesis.

Evasion of Neutralizing Antibody Response by the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.75 Variant

The newly emerged BA.2.75 SARS-CoV-2 variant exhibits an alarming 9 additional mutations in its spike (S) protein compared to the ancestral BA.2 variant. Here we examine the neutralizing antibody escape of BA.2.75 in mRNA-vaccinated and BA.1-infected individuals, as well as the molecular basis underlying functional changes in the S protein. Notably, BA.2.75 exhibits enhanced neutralization resistance over BA.2, but less than the BA.4/5 variant. The G446S and N460K mutations of BA.2.75 are primarily responsible for its enhanced resistance to neutralizing antibodies. The R493Q mutation, a reversion to the prototype sequence, reduces BA.2.75 neutralization resistance. The mutational impact is consistent with their locations in common neutralizing antibody epitopes. Further, the BA.2.75 variant shows enhanced cell-cell fusion over BA.2, driven largely by the N460K mutation, which enhances S processing. Structural modeling revealed a new receptor contact introduced by N460K, supporting a mechanism of potentiated receptor utilization and syncytia formation.

The Correlation Between Brain Performance Capacity and COVID-19: A Cross-sectional Survey and Canonical Correlation Analysis

ObjectiveTo generate a concept of brain performance capacity (BPC) with sleep, fatigue and mental workload as evaluation indicators and to analyze the correlation between BPC and the impact of COVID-19. MethodsA cluster sampling method was adopted to randomly select 259 civil air crew members. The measurements of sleep quality, fatigue and mental workload (MWL) were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) and NASA Task Load Index. The impact of COVID-19 included 7 dimensions scored on a Likert scale. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was conducted to examine the relationship between BPC and COVID-19. ResultsA total of 259 air crew members participated in the survey. Participants average PSQI score was 7.826 (SD = 3.796), with 49.8% reporting incidents of insomnia, mostly of a minor degree. Participants MFI was an average 56.112 (SD = 10.040), with 100% reporting some incidence of fatigue, mainly severe. The weighted mental workload (MWL) score was an average of 43.084 (SD = 17.543), with reports of mostly a mid-level degree. There was a significant relationship between BPC and COVID-19, with a canonical correlation coefficient of 0.507 (P=0.000), an eigenvalue of 0.364 and a contribution rate of 69.1%. All components of the BPC variable set: PSQI, MFI and MWL contributed greatly to BPC, with absolute canonical loadings of 0.790, 0.606 and 0.667, respectively; the same was true for the COVID-19 variable set, with absolute canonical loadings ranging from 0.608 to 0.951. ConclusionMultiple indicators to measure BPC and the interrelationship of BPC and COVID-19 should be used in future research to gain a comprehensive understanding of anti-epidemic measures to ensure victory in the battle against the spread of the disease.

Hepatic cystic echinococcosis complicated with tuberculous empyema misdiagnosed as hepatic and pulmonary cystic echinococcosis: one case report / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Hepatic cystic echinococcosis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the infection with the larvae of Echinococcus granulosus in human or animal liver tissues. As a chronic active infectious disease, tuberculous empyema mainly invades the pleural space and then causes visceral and parietal pleura thickening. It is rare to present comorbidity for hepatic cystic echinococcosis and tuberculous empyema. This case report presents a case of hepatic cystic echinococcosis complicated with tuberculous empyema misdiagnosed as hepatic and pulmonary cystic echinococcosis, aiming to improve clinicians’ ability to distinguish this disorder.

Research progress on the prognostic value of the ratio of lymphocytes to C-reactive protein in digestive system neoplasms / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Tumor-associated inflammation is closely related to the development of tumors. The ratio of lymphocytes to C-reactive protein (LCR) is a new marker reflecting the inflammatory state of the body, which plays an important role in predicting the prognosis of digestive system neoplasms. Compared with the detection of lymphocytes or C-reactive protein alone, this marker has higher sensitivity and accuracy, and can provide a new direction for clinical diagnosis and treatment of digestive system neoplasms.

Atypical magnetic resonance imaging findings, misdiagnosis analysis and functional imaging value of primary central nervous system lymphoma / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To observe and analyze the atypical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and misdiagnosis reasons of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), and to explore the value of conventional MRI signs combined with minimum apparent diffusion coefficient value (ADCmin) and imaging features of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the diagnosis and differentiation of atypical PCNSL.Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 15 patients with atypical PCNSL confirmed by clinical and pathological findings from Lianyungang Second People′s Hospital and the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2015 to December 2020 was collected. All cases were examined by plain MRI, enhanced and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and 3 cases were examined by MRS. The conventional MRI features, DWI signal features and MRS imaging features of 15 cases of atypical PCNSL were observed and analyzed, and the MRI findings of atypical PCNSL and the causes of misdiagnosis were summarized and analyzed. The ADCmin of tumor parenchyma, the mean ADC values of proximal peritumor, distal peritumor and contralateral white matter were detected and compared to explore the variation rules of ADC values in different regions.Results:Of the 15 cases of PCNSL, 14 cases were single and 1 case was multiple, with a total of 21 lesions. (1) Single lesions in rare sites: 4 cases in the superficial part of the brain, 1 case in the bridge arm, 1 case in the cerebellar hemisphere, 1 case in the suprasellar saddle, and 1 case in the third ventricle. (2) Atypical MRI findings: cystic degeneration or necrosis in 5 lesions (5/21), accompanied by hemorrhage in 1 lesion (1/21); There were 3 isosensitive lesions on DWI, and isosensitive lesions on ADC false color images. There were 5 ring enhancement lesions and 3 sheet enhancement lesions. (3) Multi-center growth pattern: 1 case with a total of 7 lesions, located in the right thalamus, basal ganglia and corona radiata, showing multiple nodules and ring enhancement. 1H-MRS examination showed that choline (Cho) peak increased, creatine (Cr) peak decreased, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) peak decreased, and obvious Lip peak appeared in all the 3 cases with single lesions. 2 cases showed high Lip peak as the first peak. The ADCmin values of tumor parenchyma, proximal peritumor, distal peritumor and contralateral white matter showed a parabola pattern of first rise and then decline, as follows: (0.54±0.06)×10 -3 mm 2/s, (1.55±0.10)×10 -3 mm 2/s, (1.45±0.09)×10 -3 mm 2/s, (0.85±0.03)×10 -3 mm 2/s, overall difference was statistically significant ( F=630.570, P<0.001). The pairwise comparison was statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Atypical PCNSL is easy to be misdiagnosed. Conventional MRI feature analysis combined with DWI and MRS imaging features and comparison of ADC values in different tumor areas are helpful for the diagnosis and differentiation of PCNSL and are expected to improve diagnostic accuracy.

Research on the doctors′ willingness of working at primary institutions and the economic incentive effect from the perspective of mental account / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To understand the incentive effect and influencing factors of the current economic incentive policy for medical alliances in Longhua District of Shenzhen(the alliance for short) on doctors′ willingness to work at primary medical institutions(the primary for short) from the perspective of mental account, and to explore the economic incentive effect of different economic incentive distribution methods on doctors′ willingness to work at the primary.Methods:The questionnaire was designed based on mental account theory. Random sampling was made in November 2019 for a questionnaire survey among doctors in two district-level medical institutions of the alliance in Longhua District of Shenzhen. The purpose was to analyze their inclination to work at the primary and their selection preferences for economic incentive distribution methods under the current economic incentive policy. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, and the influencing factors of doctors′ willingness to work at the primary were analyzed by χ2 test and binary logistic regression. Results:A total of 254 valid questionnaires were collected with an effective recovery rate of 90.7%. Among the respondents, 189(74.4%) were willing to work at the primary, 168(66.1%) chose to receive the economic incentives specifically for working at the primary, and 148 people(58.3%) hoped to receive such economic incentives immediately. Education background, self-rated economic income level of doctors and different payment methods of economic incentive for working at the primary had significant effects on their willingness to work at the primary( P<0.05). Conclusions:The current economic incentive policy of the alliance can meet the demands for economic incentives in terms of doctors′ material accounts, and doctors′ overall inclination to work at the primary was strong. If the amount of economic incentives is constant, doctors preferred to receive the economic incentives specifically, mainly affected by income accounts and additional income accounts. In addition, education and self-assessment of economic income level were important factors affecting the willingness of doctors to work at the primary, which may be affected by mental accounts other than material accounts.

Identification of a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase from Caldicellulosiruptor sp. Rt8.B8 and production of epilactose using Bacillus subtilis.

BACKGROUND: Epilactose, a potential prebiotics, was derived from lactose through enzymatic catalysis. However, production and purification of epilactose are currently difficult due to powerless enzymes and inefficient downstream processing steps. RESULTS: The encoding gene of cellobiose 2-epimerase (CE) from Caldicellulosiruptor sp. Rt8.B8 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The enzyme was purified and it was suitable for industrial production of epilactose from lactose without by-products, because of high kcat (197.6 s-1 ) and preferable thermostability. The Rt8-CE gene was further expressed in the Bacillus subtilis strain. We successfully produced epilactose from 700 g L-1 lactose in 30.4% yield by using the recombinant Bacillus subtilis whole cells. By screening of a ß-galactosidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus (BsGal), a process for separating epilactose and lactose was established, which showed a purity of over 95% in a total yield of 69.2%. In addition, a mixed rare sugar syrup composed of epilactose and d-tagatose was successfully produced from lactose through the co-expression of l-arabinose isomerase and ß-galactosidase. CONCLUSION: Our study shed light on the efficient production of epilactose using a food-grade host expressing a novel CE enzyme. Moreover, an efficient and low-cost process was attempted to obtain high purity epilactose. In order to improve the utilization of raw materials, the production process of mixed syrup containing epilactose and d-tagatose with prebiotic properties produced from lactose was also established for the first time. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

One-year follow-up results of atrial fibrillation patients who undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To investigate whether atrial fibrillation (AF) before transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) will affect the prognosis of patients post TAVI. Methods: This is a single center retrospective study. A total of 115 patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) who were admitted to General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from May 2016 to November 2020 and successfully received TAVI treatment were included. According to absence or accompaniment of AF pre-TAVI, they were divided into AF group (21 cases) and non-AF group (94 cases). The patients were followed up for postoperative antithrombotic treatment and the occurrence of the net adverse clinical and cerebrovascular events (NACCE) at 12 months post TAVI, including cardiogenic death, readmission to hospital for heart failure, nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and severe bleeding (BARC levels 3-5). Univariate logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors of NACCE. Results: Among the 115 selected patients, age was (73.8±6.9) years, there were 63 males. And 21 cases (18.2%) were diagnosed as AFbefore TAVI. In terms of postoperative antithrombotic therapy, 48.9% (46/94) of the patients in the non-AF group received monotherapy and 47.9% (45/94) received dual antiplatelet therapy. In the AF group, 47.6% (10/21) received anticoagulants and 33.3% (7/21) received dual antiplatelet therapy. The proportion of patients in the AF group taking non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) was higher than that in the non-AF group (38.1% (8/21) vs. 2.1% (2/94), P<0.001). Patients in both groups were followed up to 12 months after TAVI. During the 12 months follow-up, the incidence of NACCE after TAVI was 14.3% (3/21) in the AF group, which was numerically higher than that in the non-AF group (6.4% (6/94)), but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.441). The incidence of severe bleeding was significantly higher in the AF group than in the non-AF group (9.5% (2/21) vs. 0, P=0.032). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension was associated with the risk of NACCE (OR=8.308, P=0.050), while AF was not associated with the risk of NACCE (P=0.235). Conclusion: The incidence of severe bleeding after TAVI is higher in patients with AF than in patients without AF prior TAVI, and there is a trend of increased risk of NACCE post TAVI in AF patients.

Consensus of experts on the medical risk prevention for the patients with cardiovascular diseases during dental treatment (2022 edition) / 中华口腔医学杂志

With the aging process of population in the society, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in China is increasing continuously and the number of dental patients with CVD is increasing gradually too. Due to the lack of guidelines for dental patients with CVD in our country, how to implement standardized preoperative evaluation and perioperative risk prevention remains a problem to be solved for dentists at present. The present expert consensus was reached by combining the clinical experiences of the expert group of the Fifth General Dentistry Special Committee, Chinese Stomatological Association and respiratory and cardiology experts in diagnosis and treatment for CVD patients, and by systematically summarizing the relevant international guidelines and literature regarding the relationship between CVD and oral diseases and the diagnosis and treatment of dental patients with heart failure, hypertension and antithrombotic therapy. The consensus aims to provide, for the dental clinicians, the criteria on diagnosis and treatment of CVD in dental patients in China so as to reduce the risk and complications, and finally to improve the treatment levels of dental patients with CVD in China.

Transoral robotic surgery for treatment of lingual thyroglossal duct cyst / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To investigate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in the treatment of lingual thyroglossal duct cyst (LTGDC). Methods: The clinical data of 10 patients with LTGDC treated with TORS in Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from May 2017 to November 2020 were analyzed retrospectively,including 6 males and 4 females, aged 5-44 years. The cysts were fully exposed, and resection usually started from the cephalic side of lesions. The range of resection was 3 to 5 mm away from the lesions, and partial hyoid bone was removed if necessary. Intra-operative robotic set-up time,operation time and estimated blood loss,and post-operative local bleeding, dyspnea and recovery time for oral intake were analyzed. SPSS 12.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: The cysts in all 10 patients were successfully resected by TORS with da Vinci Si surgical system. The mean robotic set-up and exposure time, operation time, estimated intraoperative blood loss and recovery time for oral intake were (15.5±7.1) min, (17.6±7.4) min, (8.9±6.4)ml and (2.3±2.2)days, respectively. No patient required tracheostomy intra-or post-operatively, and no symptoms of airway obstruction, postoperative bleeding, pharyngeal fistula, hoarseness and neurological impairment occurred after operation. The patients were followed up for 5 to 47 months, with median follow-up time of 17 months, and no recurrence was observed. Conclusion: TORS is safe and feasible for resection of LTGDC, with rapid recovery and low recurrence rate.

Geranyl phenyl ethers from Illicium micranthum and their anti-HBV activity / 中国天然药物

Fourteen new geranyl phenyl ethers (1-14) along with three known compounds (15-17) were isolated from Illicium micranthum, and their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods. Illimicranins A-H (1-8) were characterized as geranyl vanillin ethers, while 9 and 10 were dimethyl acetal derivatives. Illimicranins I and J (11 and 12) were rare geranyl isoeugenol ethers. Illimicranins K and L (13 and 14) represented the first example of geranyl guaiacylacetone ether and geranyl zingerone ether, respectively. Compounds 1, 2 and 15 exhibited anti-HBV (hepatitis B virus) activity against HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) and HBeAg (hepatitis B e antigen) secretion, and HBV DNA replication.