The relationship between triglyceride level and the severity of acute hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis in Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the triglyceride (TG) level and the severity of acute hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis (AHTGP) in Chinese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: On the basis of clinical data on AHTGP, patients from the period 2015-2018 were enrolled retrospectively and grouped according to the 2012 revised Atlanta classification. Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to evaluate differences among groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to assess the ability of parameters to distinguish mild acute pancreatitis (MAP)/moderately severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP) from severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). RESULTS: A total of 104 patients with AHTGP were enrolled and divided into three groups: 61 patients with MAP, 29 patients with MSAP, and 14 patients with SAP. The median values for the MAP, MSAP, and SAP groups were as follows: TG level 48 h after admission, 3.4, 4.5, and 14.2 mmol/L, respectively (p<0.001); ratio of TG level 48 h after admission to that 0 h after admission (48:0-h ratio), 19.4, 32.1, and 65.9, respectively (p<0.001). ROC curves showed that the areas under the curves for the TG level 48 h after admission and the TG 48:0-h ratio for predicting SAP were 0.965 and 0.917, respectively (p<0.001), and the optimal cut-off values were 7.8 mmol/L and 37.7, respectively. CONCLUSION: The TG level 48 h after admission and the TG 48:0-h ratio may predict the severity of AHTGP, and a high TG level 48 h after admission may be correlated with the progression of SAP.

Role of Esophageal Mean Nocturnal Baseline Impedance and Post-reflux Swallow-induced Peristaltic Wave Index in Discriminating Chinese Patients With Heartburn.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recently, esophageal mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) and post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) index have been proposed, which can increase the diagnostic role of multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH recording (MII/pH) for differentiating patients with heartburn. Therefore, our aim is to investigate the role of esophageal proximal MNBI, distal MNBI, and PSPW index in differentiating Chinese patients with heartburn. METHODS: Patients with heartburn from the Beijing Anzhen Hospital, who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and 24-hour MII/pH, were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: In all, 24 erosive esophagitis (EE), 46 non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), 52 reflux hypersensitivity (RH), and 78 functional heartburn (FH) patients were recruited. The respective median values for the EE, NERD, RH, and FH groups were as follows: proximal MNBI 1858.0, 2147.5, 2374.3, and 2329.0 Ω (P= 0.053); distal MNBI 1243.4, 1506.5, 2451.2, and 2477.3 Ω (P < 0.001); and PSPWI 15.0%, 25.0%, 25.0%, and 45.0% (P < 0.001). Spearman correlation analysis showed that distal MNBI and PSPW index were significantly negatively correlated with acid and bolus exposure time and acid reflux events. Receiver operating characteristic analyses showed that distal MNBI and PSPW index significantly discriminated FH from EE, NERD, and RH (P < 0.001), with cut-off values of 1890.6 Ω and 27.5% and areas under the curve of 0.721 and 0.779, respectively. CONCLUSION: Esophageal distal MNBI and PSPW index could increase the diagnostic role of MII/pH, especially for differentiating Chinese patients with heartburn.

Lower Nr5a2 Level Downregulates the ß-Catenin and TCF-4 Expression in Caerulein-Induced Pancreatic Inflammation.

Nuclear receptor subfamily 5 group A member 2 (Nr5a2) is widely involved in the physiological and pathological processes of the pancreas. However, the cytological and molecular evidence regarding how Nr5a2 implicated in acute pancreatitis (AP) remains insufficient. Here, we explored this problem by using cellular AP model in both normal and Nr5a2 silenced AR42J pancreatic acinar cells. An in vitro cellular model of AP was established by stimulating AR42J cells with caerulein (CAE) for 24 h. Reduced Nr5a2 expression was observed in the CAE-treated cells. Nr5a2 silencing led to AP-like inflammation, with increased interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α mRNA levels. In the cellular AP model, Nr5a2 silencing further increased IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA levels, as well as amylase activity. In addition, we found that Nr5a2 silencing did not affect IL-10 level under physiological conditions but inhibited the anti-inflammatory response of IL-10 in AP model. Moreover, in CAE-induced pancreatic inflammation, Nr5a2 silencing increased the apoptosis and necrosis of acinar cells and inhibited the proliferation of acinar cells, which has not been shown previously. Further experiments showed, for the first time, that Nr5a2 silencing downregulated the expression of ß-catenin and its downstream target gene T-cell factor (TCF)-4 in the cellular AP model but increased the expression of nuclear factor (NF)-κB. In conclusion, in CAE-induced pancreatic inflammation, lower Nr5a2 level leads to downregulation of ß-catenin and its downstream target gene TCF-4 and upregulation of NF-κB, which exacerbates the inflammatory response and cell damage and inhibits the proliferation and regeneration of acinar cells.

[Emissions Inventory and Characteristics of NOx from Cement Industry].

Activity data and technical information of cement production lines in China from 2011 to 2015 were collected. A NOx emissions calculating model and emissions database were developed for the cement industry, and the NOx emissions characteristics of cement production lines in China from 2011 to 2015 were analyzed. The results showed that NOx emissions increased from 1.69 million tons in 2010 to 1.99 million tons in 2012, and then decreased in the subsequent three years to 1.68 million tons in 2015. The provincial-level emissions are significantly uneven. Anhui, Sichuan, Henan, Hunan, Yunnan, and Shandong provinces rank among the top six contributors in the country and together accounted for about 40% of the national emissions in 2015. Shanghai, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Hunan, Yunnan, and Sichuan were the top seven by emissions factor. Lines with capacity of more than 4000 t·d-1 contributed the largest part of NOx emissions. The average NOx emissions factor of more than 4000 t·d-1 lines was 1.24 kg·t-1. The rapid spread of pre-calcining kilns in China and a higher pollution abatement level were the main factors leading to variations in NOx pollution characteristics in China.

CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms associate with efficacy of postoperative radioiodine-131 for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate the association of CTLA-4 polymorphisms with efficacy of postoperative radioiodine-131 (I-131) treatment for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). METHODS: A total of 324 DTC patients and 350 healthy individuals were enrolled in our study. Patients received I-131 remnant ablation following surgical resection. Based on the treatment efficacy, patients were divided into the effective (n = 183) and ineffective groups (n = 141). CTLA-4 polymorphisms (+49A>G, CT60A>G and -318C>T) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: AG + AA genotype distribution and A allele frequency of +49A>G and CT60A>G polymorphisms were higher in the effective group than the ineffective group. CONCLUSION: +49A>G and CT60A>G polymorphisms were associated with the efficacy of postoperative I-131 treatment for DTC; and they might be bioindicators related to the prognosis of I-131 treatment.

[Assessment on PCBs wastes treatment technologies including incineration, cement kiln and secure landfill].

Analytic hierarchy process and a specialist investigation were applied to value the three PCBs treatment technologies qualitatively and quantitatively, in which the environmental, technological, social and economic factors were considered. The most important factor is thought to be environmental impact. Incineration is proved to be the most suitable technology in this period according to the research. For the high concentration of PCBs pollutants, or the low concentration of PCBs pollutants with good economic performance and large quantity of waste, incineration is considered the best. For the low concentration of PCBs pollutants in the area with bad economic performance and with little quantity of waste, cement kiln and landfill are thought to be suitable. It is also suggested that pollutants be treated at the nearest place. What's more, the measures to improve the three technologies are discussed and the policy comments on PCBs treatment are presented.