Feasibility Analysis of Individualized Low Flow Rate Abdominal Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography in Chemotherapy Patients: Dual-Source Computed Tomography With Low Tube Voltage.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to investigate the feasibility of using dual-source computed tomography (CT) combined with low flow rate and low tube voltage for postchemotherapy image assessment in cancer patients. METHODS: Ninety patients undergoing contrast-enhanced CT scans of the upper abdomen were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to groups A, B, and C (n = 30 each). In group A, patients underwent scans at 120 kVp with 448 mgI/kg. Patients in group B underwent scans at 100 kVp with 336 mgI/kg. Patient in group C underwent scans at 70 kVp with of 224 mgI/kg. Quantitative measurements including the CT number, standard deviation of CT number, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, subjective reader scores, and the volume and flow rate of contrast agent were evaluated for each group. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the subjective image scores within the three groups except for the kidney (all P > 0.05). Group C showed significantly higher CT values, lower noise levels, and higher signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio values in the majority of the regions of interest compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). In group C, the contrast agent dose was decreased by 46% compared to group A (79.48 ± 12.24 vs 42.7 ± 8.6, P < 0.01), and the contrast agent injection rate was reduced by 22% (2.7 ± 0.41 vs 2.1 ± 0.4, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The use of 70 kVp tube voltage combined with low iodine flow rates prove to be a more effective approach in solving the challenge of compromised blood vessels in postchemotherapy tumor patients, without reducing image quality and diagnostic confidence.

An international multidisciplinary consensus on pediatric metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly prevalent in children and adolescents, particularly those with obesity. NAFLD is considered a hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome due to its close associations with abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Experts have proposed an alternative terminology, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), to better reflect its pathophysiology. This study aimed to develop consensus statements and recommendations for pediatric MAFLD through collaboration among international experts. METHODS: A group of 65 experts from 35 countries and six continents, including pediatricians, hepatologists, and endocrinologists, participated in a consensus development process. The process encompassed various aspects of pediatric MAFLD, including epidemiology, mechanisms, screening, and management. FINDINGS: In round 1, we received 65 surveys from 35 countries and analyzed these results, which informed us that 73.3% of respondents agreed with 20 draft statements while 23.8% agreed somewhat. The mean percentage of agreement or somewhat agreement increased to 80.85% and 15.75%, respectively, in round 2. The final statements covered a wide range of topics related to epidemiology, pathophysiology, and strategies for screening and managing pediatric MAFLD. CONCLUSIONS: The consensus statements and recommendations developed by an international expert panel serve to optimize clinical outcomes and improve the quality of life for children and adolescents with MAFLD. These findings emphasize the need for standardized approaches in diagnosing and treating pediatric MAFLD. FUNDING: This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82070588, 82370577), the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFA1800801), National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (2022-PUMCH-C-014), the Wuxi Taihu Talent Plan (DJTD202106), and the Medical Key Discipline Program of Wuxi Health Commission (ZDXK2021007).

[Clinical Features and Prognostic Analysis of Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Combined with Hemophagocytic Syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical features and prognosis between newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with and without hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). METHODS: The clinical data of 45 DLBCL patients in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2012 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into HPS group (15 cases) and non-HPS group (30 cases). The clinical features and prognosis of the two groups were compared, and survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Patients with HSP were mostly characterized by fever, cytopenia and splenomegaly. The levels of ferritin and soluble CD25 increased in all patients. The level of fibrinogen decreased in 66.67% patients, while triglyceride increased in 53.33% patients, and bone marrow hemophagocytosis occurred in 80.00% patients. Compared with non-HSP group, the proportions of patients with advanced stage (Ann Arbor stage III/IV) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ≥240 U/L were higher in HSP group (both P < 0.05). The median survival time of HSP group was 8.0 months, which was significantly shorter than 45.5 months of non-HSP group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The DLBCL patients with HPS have later Ann Arbor stage, higher LDH and shorter overall survival time compared with patients without HPS.

[Effects of Different Nutritional Scoring Systems on Prognosis of Elderly Patients with Multiple Myeloma].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), controlling nutritional status (CONUT) and fibrinogen/albumin ratio (FAR) levels in elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and their prognostic impact. METHODS: The clinical data of 74 elderly MM patients diagnosed in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2020 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cut-off values for PNI, CONUT score and FAR were obtained by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which were used for grouping patients. The correlation of above three indexes with clinical parameters such as sex, serum calcium (Ca), ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG), serum creatinine (Cr) in elderly MM patients were analyzed. The survival rates of patients with different levels of each index were compared. Univariate and multivariate analysis of the impact of clinical indicators on the prognosis of patients were performed. RESULTS: The optimal cut-off values for PNI, CONUT score and FAR were 39.775, 3.5 and 0.175, respectively, according to which the patients were divided into high and low group. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in albumin level among different groups (all P < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in hemoglobin between high-PNI group and low-PNI group (P < 0.05), while in sex distribution between high-FAR and low-FAR group (P < 0.05). The survival rate of elderly MM patients with increased PNI, decreased CONUT score and FAR was higher (all P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that ß2-MG, Cr, PNI, CONUT score and FAR were independent prognostic factors for elderly MM patients. CONCLUSION: PNI, CONUT score and FAR are related to some clinical indicators of elderly MM patients, and have an impact on the prognosis.

The relationship between nature exposure and depression among Chinese prisoners: a moderated mediation model.

Aim: This study examined the association between self-reported nature exposure and depression among Chinese prisoners, as well as the mediating and moderating effects of meaning in life and callous-unemotional (CU) traits, respectively. Background: Prisoners are more likely to experience depression than any other mental illness. Exposure to nature has been proposed as a highly cost-effective method of treating their depressive symptoms. However, the mechanism underlying the link between nature exposure and depression among prisoners needs further investigation, as the findings may provide new insights into how to address depression in incarcerated populations. Method: Data were collected through a survey conducted in four prisons in southern China from April to May 2022. The participants were 574 prisoners who anonymously completed four questionnaires about nature exposure, meaning in life, depression, and CU traits. Results: The results show that: (1) meaning in life significantly mediates the association between nature exposure and depression, and (2) CU traits moderate the connection between nature exposure and meaning in life. Conclusion: The current study uncovered that prisoners who contact more with the natural environment have a higher meaning in life and lower depression, and individuals with higher CU traits can benefit more from nature exposure.

Modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy vs. laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated acute appendicitis in children.

OBJECTIVES: Modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (mERAT) has been proposed as an alternative to laparoscopic appendectomy for the treatment of appendicitis. However, data from children in large samples are lacking. The aim of this article is to evaluate the efficacy between mERAT and laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) in children with uncomplicated appendicitis. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed 594 patients with suspected uncomplicated appendicitis from October 2018 to May 2021. A pool of 294 consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria were ultimately enrolled in this study (228 and 66 patients in mERAT and LA, respectively). Given the differences in baseline clinical data (gender, age), the regression equation including differences in clinical baseline, grouping factor, and white blood cell count was established to address the influence of potential confounding factors. RESULT: The initial success rate of mERAT management was 96.9%, and the recurrence rate was 6.9% in the mERAT group and 1.7% in the LA group within 1 year, which was no significant difference. But the mERAT group had a lower rate of adverse events. Finally, those results indicated that the treatment modalities, LA or mERAT, had no significant effect on initial success rate (P = 0.99) or recurrence rate (P = 0.17) within 1 year, but a significant effect on the adverse events rate during hospitalization (P = 0.01) in the multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Among children with uncomplicated appendicitis, an initial mERAT management strategy had a success rate of 96.9%, which was similar to the LA group at 1 year. This follow-up supports the feasibility of mERAT alone as an alternative to surgery for uncomplicated appendicitis.

[Clinical Anslysis of TAFRO Syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of one patient with TAFRO syndrome, and to strengthen the understanding of this rare type. METHODS: The clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment process, and prognosis of the patient admitted in Gansu Provincial People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Combined with laboratory tests, bone marrow examination, imaging, pathology, etc, the patient was diagnosed with TAFRO syndrome. After three cycles of treatment with pomalidomide (2-3 mg/d, d1-21), cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m2, 0.54 g once a week) and dexamethasone (20 mg/d, two days a week), platelet count, serum creatinine and procalcitonin returned to normal, the systemic edema disappeared, and the patient's condition was alleviated. The therapeutic effect was good. CONCLUSION: TAFRO syndrome is rare, involves multiple systems, progresses rapidly, and has a worse prognosis. The choice of the "Pomalidomide+cyclophosphamide+dexamethasone" regimen is help to improve the survival prognosis of patient with TAFRO syndrome.

Outcome and characteristics of nonsecretory multiple myeloma compared with secretory multiple myeloma: a retrospective multicenter study from China.

BACKGROUND: Nonsecretory multiple myeloma (NSMM) is a rare type of multiple myeloma (MM). Few studies have described the clinical features and outcomes of NSMM in novel agents. Additionally, the prognostic characteristics have remained controversial in recent years. PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical and prognostic features of NSMM and explore the prognostic value of involved free light chain (FLC) levels in NSMM patients in the Chinese population. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 176 newly diagnosed NSMM cases between January 2005 and December 2021 from 19 clinical centers in China. The control group was selected using a 1:4 propensity score matching technique of newly diagnosed secretory MM, with age, sex and diagnosis time as the matching variables. RESULTS: The median age of NSMM patients was 60 years, and 22.6% of patients were classified as ISS stage 3. The ORR of the NSMM patients was 87.4%, and the CR was 65.8%. Compared to the matched secretory MM patients, more NSMM patients achieved CR after first-line treatment (65.8% vs. 36%, p = 0.000). The ORR of first-line treatment was not significantly different between NSMM and secretory MM (89.45% vs. 84.7%, p = 0.196). The first-line PFS was 27.5 m and 23 m (p = 0.063), and the median OS was 81 m and 70 months (p = 0.401). However, for CR-achieved NSMM and CR-not-achieved NSMM patients, the median PFS was 37 m vs. 16 m (p = 0.021), while the median OS showed no difference (107 m vs. 87 m, p = 0.290). In multivariate analysis, the significant factors for PFS were age ≥ 65 and ISS-3. ISS-3 was the only independent prognostic factor of OS. The iFLC ≥ 50 mg/L group had a high ORR of 97.3%, and the median PFS and OS were 48 m and NR, respectively. Compared to the matched secretory MM, the iFLC ≥ 50 mg/L group also showed more CR and longer OS (NR vs. 70 m, p = 0.006) and PFS (48 m vs. 23 m, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that Chinese NSMM patients are younger and have a higher CR but not superior survival. The subgroup of NSMM patients with iFLC ≥ 50 mg/L had better outcomes than secretory MM.

The Influence of Victim Self-Disclosure on Bystander Intervention in Cyberbullying.

The frequent occurrences of cyberbullying on social platforms have sparked a great deal of social conflict, and bystander intervention plays a crucial role in preventing the escalation of cyberbullying. This research examines the impact of victim self-disclosure on bystander intervention in cyberbullying through two experimental studies. The studies collected data from March to July of 2022, utilizing a convenience sampling approach to recruit university students as experiment participants. Study 1 recruited 247 valid participants, while Study 2 recruited 522 eligible participants. The results of Study 1 indicate that the perceptible dimensions (frequency, privacy, and valence) of victim self-disclosure impact bystander intervention. Specifically, in a low privacy context, positive self-disclosure increases bystander intervention, while negative self-disclosure does the opposite. The results of Study 2 suggest that the valence of self-disclosure affects bystander intervention through the mediation of victim blaming, with interpersonal distance moderating the impact of victim self-disclosure valence on the extent of victim blaming. This moderated mediation model clarifies the psychological process by which the valence of victim self-disclosure affects bystander intervention. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the social psychological process behind bystander intervention, providing a scientific basis and pathway for reducing cyberbullying and fostering a harmonious online environment.

Image quality improvement in head and neck CT angiography: Individualized post-trigger delay versus fixed delay.

PURPOSE: To compare the contrast media opacification of head and neck CT angiography (CTA) between conventional fixed trigger delay and individualized post-trigger delay (PTD). METHODS: In this prospective study (April-October 2022), 196 consecutive participants were randomly divided into two groups to perform head and neck CTA in bolus tracking with either an individualized PTD (Group A) or a fixed 4-second PTD (Group B). All CT and contrast media protocol parameters were consistent between the two groups. One reader evaluated objective image quality, while two readers rated subjective image quality. Objective image quality was compared between groups via two-sample t-test, while the subjective ratings were compared with chi-square analysis. RESULTS: Participants' clinical information including sex, age, weight, body weight index (BMI), and heart rate were not statistically different between two groups (all p > 0.05). Individualized PTD ranging from 3.5 to 7.9 s (average 5.6 s), which is shorter than fixed delays (p < 0.05). Both readers rated better subjective image quality for the Group A (p < 0.05). The mean vessel enhancement was significantly higher in Group A in all vessels (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the fixed post-trigger delay in bolus tracking technique, individualized post-trigger delay could achieve reliable scan timing, optimize vessel opacification and obtain better image quality for head and neck CT angiography.

[Efficacy and Safety of Bendamustine in the Conditioning Regiment for Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Lymphoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of bendamustine in the conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with lymphoma. METHODS: The clinical data of 35 patients with lymphoma, including 5 patients of Hodgkin lymphoma and 30 patients of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation after pretreatment with BeEAM regimen from January 2020 to June 2022 in Gansu Provincial Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Hematopoietic reconstitution, disease outcome after transplantation and the side effects were analyzed. RESULTS: All 35 patients achieved hematopoietic reconstitution after AHSCT，the median time to neutrophil engraftment was 11 (8-15) days, and the median time to platelet engraftment was 12 (9-17) days. Among the 35 patients, 4 patients died at the end of follow-up, including 3 patients died of lymphoma recurrence or progression and 1 patient died of cerebral hemorrhage. Among 34 patients, 30 had no disease progression at the end of follow-up. The OS rates of patients at 12 and 24 months after transplantation were 90.97% and 90.97%, respectively. The 12 and 24 months PFS rates were 89.64% and 84.92%, respectively. Thiry-five patients underwent grade 3-4 bone marrow suppression. The non-hematological toxicity of BeEAM pretreatment regimen mainly included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and oral mucositis, 35 patients experienced nausea and vomiting, but only 4 patients had grade 3-4 nausea and vomiting. Eight patients experienced Grade 1-2 diarrhea. Oral mucositis occurred in 12 patients, including 1 patient of grade 3 oral mucositis. One patient with grade 3 oral mucositis also had grade 3-4 hypokalemia and hypon atremia. 8.6% of patients experienced Grade 1-2 abnormal liver and kidney function. An addition, infectious fever occurred in 18 patients during neutropenia. All patients improved after symptomatic treatment, and there were no transplant-related death. CONCLUSION: Bendamustine as a pretreatment regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in lymphoma is effective, and the side effects are tolerable.

The Relationship between Job Demands and Turnover Intention among Chinese Prison Officers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought enormous challenges to both employees and organizations all over the world. Previous studies have found high turnover rates among prison officers since the outbreak of COVID-19. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the mediating role of job burnout between job demands and turnover intention, as well as the moderating role of the perceived efficacy in overcoming COVID-19 in Chinese prison officers. In total, 1316 prison officers were recruited to complete an online questionnaire between May 2022 and June 2022 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). The bootstrapping approach was used to assess the moderated mediation model in this study. The results showed that prison officers' job demands were positively associated with their turnover intention. Job burnout mediated the relationship between job demands and turnover intention. Perceived efficacy in overcoming COVID-19 moderated the effect of job burnout on turnover intention. Based on these results, suggestions were provided to reduce the high turnover rate of prison officers in public health events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Risk Factors and Prognosis of Cardiovascular Damage in Hypereosinophilia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors and prognosis of cardiovascular damage in hypereosinophilia (HE). METHODS: The clinical data of 62 patients with HE in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including clinical characteristics and laboratory indicators, and the influencing factors of survival and prognosis were also analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, there were 34 males and 28 females, with a median age of 53.5 (20-79) years, 35 patients without cardiovascular damage, 27 patients with cardiovascular damage, including 22 patients with abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) (81.5%), 18 patients with abnormal echocardiography (ECHO) (66.7%), 9 patients with single ECG abnormality, 5 patients with single ECHO abnormality, and other 13 patients with multiple abnormalities. In cardiovascular damage group, peripheral white blood cell count, absolute value of eosinophils, troponin T (TNT), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 levels at initial diagnosis were significantly higher than those in the non-cardiovascular damage group (P <0.01), while hemoglobin, IL-2 and interferon-γ levels were significantly lower (P <0.01). There were no significant differences in age, sex, course of disease, etiological classification, platelet count, serum creatine kinase, serum creatine kinase isoenzyme and lactate dehydrogenase between the two groups (P >0.05). The 5-year overal survival rate of patients with cardiovascular damage was 88.9%, and that of patients without cardiovascular damage was 100%, the difference was statistically significant (P =0.012). The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rate of patients with cardiovascular damage was 59.3%, and the median time was 37 (21-52) months, while that of patients without cardiovascular damage was 80%, and the median time was 63 (51-74) months (P =0.002). Age (>60 years old), course of disease (>24 months), NT-proBNP (>3 000 pg/ml), TNT (>100 ng/L), elevated IL-4 and IL-5 were associated with EFS shortening in patients with cardiovascular damage, which were independent risk factors for EFS. CONCLUSION: The EFS rate in HE patients without cardiovascular damage is significantly higher than patients with cardiovascular damage. Age, course of disease, NT-proBNP, TNT, IL-4 and IL-5 are independent risk factors affecting EFS of patients with cardiovascular damage.

[Clinical Features and Prognosis of Patients with Castleman's Disease].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of patients with Castleman's disease (CD) and improve the diagnosis and treatment of CD. METHODS: Clinical data of patients diagnosed with CD by pathological biopsy in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2009 to November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to clinical classification, the patients were divided into two groups: UCD (unicentric CD) group (n=20) and MCD (multicentric CD) group (n=9). The clinical manifestations, laboratory examination, treatment regimens, pathological examination and follow-up data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in average age and gender ratio between UCD group and MCD group. In UCD patients, 80.0% were hyaline vascular type, and 20.0% were plasma cell type. In MCD patients, 33.3% were hyaline vascular type, 55.6% were plasma cell type, and 11.1% were mixed type. There was significant difference in pathological classification between the two groups (P=0.039). The UCD patients usually presented asymptomatic single lymph node enlargement with mild clinical symptoms, while the MCD patients were characterized by multiple superficial and deep lymph node enlargement throughout the body. The incidences of asthenia, splenomegaly, serous effusion in MCD group were higher than those in UCD group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the incidences of anemia, hypoproteinemia, increased ESR, elevated serum globulin and elevated ß2-microglobulin were significantly higher than those in UCD group too (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidences of abnormal WBC, PLT and elevated LDH between the two groups (P>0.05). Among 20 patients with UCD, 13 cases reached complete remission (CR), 1 case achieved partial remission (PR). Among 9 patients with MCD, 3 cases received CR and 4 cases received PR. CONCLUSION: Patients with CD requires pathological examination for diagnosis. Patients with UCD show mild clinical symptoms, good surgical treatment effect and good prognosis. Patients with MCD have diversified clinical manifestations and relatively poor prognosis, and these patients require comprehensive treatment.

Clinical Features and Prognosis of Patients with Castleman's Disease / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of patients with Castleman's disease (CD) and improve the diagnosis and treatment of CD.@*METHODS@#Clinical data of patients diagnosed with CD by pathological biopsy in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2009 to November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to clinical classification, the patients were divided into two groups: UCD (unicentric CD) group (n=20) and MCD (multicentric CD) group (n=9). The clinical manifestations, laboratory examination, treatment regimens, pathological examination and follow-up data were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences in average age and gender ratio between UCD group and MCD group. In UCD patients, 80.0% were hyaline vascular type, and 20.0% were plasma cell type. In MCD patients, 33.3% were hyaline vascular type, 55.6% were plasma cell type, and 11.1% were mixed type. There was significant difference in pathological classification between the two groups (P=0.039). The UCD patients usually presented asymptomatic single lymph node enlargement with mild clinical symptoms, while the MCD patients were characterized by multiple superficial and deep lymph node enlargement throughout the body. The incidences of asthenia, splenomegaly, serous effusion in MCD group were higher than those in UCD group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the incidences of anemia, hypoproteinemia, increased ESR, elevated serum globulin and elevated β2-microglobulin were significantly higher than those in UCD group too (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidences of abnormal WBC, PLT and elevated LDH between the two groups (P>0.05). Among 20 patients with UCD, 13 cases reached complete remission (CR), 1 case achieved partial remission (PR). Among 9 patients with MCD, 3 cases received CR and 4 cases received PR.@*CONCLUSION@#Patients with CD requires pathological examination for diagnosis. Patients with UCD show mild clinical symptoms, good surgical treatment effect and good prognosis. Patients with MCD have diversified clinical manifestations and relatively poor prognosis, and these patients require comprehensive treatment.

Risk Factors and Prognosis of Cardiovascular Damage in Hypereosinophilia / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the risk factors and prognosis of cardiovascular damage in hypereosinophilia (HE).@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 62 patients with HE in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including clinical characteristics and laboratory indicators, and the influencing factors of survival and prognosis were also analyzed.@*RESULTS@#In this study, there were 34 males and 28 females, with a median age of 53.5 (20-79) years, 35 patients without cardiovascular damage, 27 patients with cardiovascular damage, including 22 patients with abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) (81.5%), 18 patients with abnormal echocardiography (ECHO) (66.7%), 9 patients with single ECG abnormality, 5 patients with single ECHO abnormality, and other 13 patients with multiple abnormalities. In cardiovascular damage group, peripheral white blood cell count, absolute value of eosinophils, troponin T (TNT), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 levels at initial diagnosis were significantly higher than those in the non-cardiovascular damage group (P <0.01), while hemoglobin, IL-2 and interferon-γ levels were significantly lower (P <0.01). There were no significant differences in age, sex, course of disease, etiological classification, platelet count, serum creatine kinase, serum creatine kinase isoenzyme and lactate dehydrogenase between the two groups (P >0.05). The 5-year overal survival rate of patients with cardiovascular damage was 88.9%, and that of patients without cardiovascular damage was 100%, the difference was statistically significant (P =0.012). The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rate of patients with cardiovascular damage was 59.3%, and the median time was 37 (21-52) months, while that of patients without cardiovascular damage was 80%, and the median time was 63 (51-74) months (P =0.002). Age (>60 years old), course of disease (>24 months), NT-proBNP (>3 000 pg/ml), TNT (>100 ng/L), elevated IL-4 and IL-5 were associated with EFS shortening in patients with cardiovascular damage, which were independent risk factors for EFS.@*CONCLUSION@#The EFS rate in HE patients without cardiovascular damage is significantly higher than patients with cardiovascular damage. Age, course of disease, NT-proBNP, TNT, IL-4 and IL-5 are independent risk factors affecting EFS of patients with cardiovascular damage.

Study on the Effect of Micro-Force Perturbations and Temperature Fluctuation on Interferometer for the Taiji Program.

To increase the interferometric measurement resolution in the Taiji program, we present a noise suppression method in this paper. Taking the specific micro-force perturbation and temperature fluctuation in the Taiji-1 interferometer as an example, we set up and experimentally verified the corresponding transfer function to quantify the effect of both noise sources on the interferometric results. Consistent results were obtained between the numerical and experimental results for the transfer function. It is instructive to eliminate the micro-force perturbations and temperature fluctuations during on-orbit interferometric measurement for as long as the acquisition of the force or temperature distribution of related surfaces and the corresponding transfer functions. This indicates that the method can be used for noise sensing and more in the field of noise elimination and measurement resolution improvement for future Taiji program interferometers.

[Antidepressant effect and molecular mechanism of notoginsenoside R_1 based on network pharmacology and animal experiments].

To provide experimental basis and theoretical guidance for further research on the molecular mechanism of notoginsenoside R_1(NGR_1) in the treatment of depression, the present study analyzed the potential mechanism of NGR_1 in the treatment of depression through network pharmacology and verified it by molecular docking and animal experiments. PharmMapper, SwissTargetPrediction, and GeneCards were used to predict the related targets of both NGR_1 and depression to obtain the potential targets of NGR_1 in the treatment of depression. The database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery(DAVID) was used for GO functional annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis to screen the possible mechanisms of NGR_1 exerting antidepressant effect. Cytoscape 3.9.0 was adopted to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, and the topological analysis was performed to obtain the core targets. The binding activity of NGR_1 to core targets was tested by molecular docking. The depression model was prepared by injecting lipopolysaccharide(LPS) into the lateral ventricle in mice, and intervened with NGR_1. The antidepressant effect of NGR_1 was detected by behavioral tests and RT-qPCR. The results showed that by network pharmacology, 56 common targets of NGR_1 and depression were predicted, and GO enrichment analysis determined 13 related biological processes, mainly involving G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway, positive regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase Ⅱ promoter, cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, gene expression, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and signal transduction. In addition, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified ten potential pathways, including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signaling pathway, lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, PI3 K-AKT signaling pathway, and lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway. PPI analysis revealed that the core targets included CASP3, VEGFA, IGF1, STAT3, MAPK1, PPARG, MTOR, MAPK14, NR3 C1 and AR, and molecular docking demonstrated that NGR_1 had desirable binding activity to these target proteins. In animal experiments, the results showed that NGR_1 improved the disease behavior of depressed mice, significantly inhibited the neuroinflammatory response(reducing the mRNA expression of Iba-1, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6), and regulated the mRNA expression of lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway-related targets(CASP3, STAT3, MAPK1 and MAPK14). This indicated that the antidepressant mechanism of NGR_1 may be related to the regulation of lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway. In conclusion, network pharmacology was used to reveal the core targets and pathways of NGR_1, and some of them were verified in animal experiments, which provided the basis for in-depth exploration on the mechanism of NGR_1 in the treatment of depression.