Major complications after ultrasound-guided liver biopsy:An annual audit of a Chinese tertiary-care teaching hospital

BACKGROUND As ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy(PLB)has become a standard and important method in the management of liver disease in our country,a periodical audit of the major complications is needed.AIM To determine the annual incidence of major complications following ultrasoundguided PLB and to identify variables that are significantly associated with an increased risk of major complications.METHODS A total of 1857 consecutive cases of PLB were included in our hospital from January 2021 to December 2021.The major complication rate and all-cause 30-d mortality rate were determined.Multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression to investigate the risk factors associated with major complications and all-cause 30-d mortality following ultrasound-guided PLB.RESULTS In this audit of 1857 liver biopsies,10 cases(0.53%)of major complications occurred following ultrasound-guided PLB.The overall all-cause mortality rate at 30 d after PLB was 0.27%(5 cases).Two cases(0.11%)were attributed to major hemorrhage within 7 d after liver biopsy.Fibrinogen less than 2 g/L[odds ratio(OR):17.226;95%confidence interval(CI):2.647-112.102;P=0.003],post-biopsy hemoglobin level(OR:0.963;95%CI:0.942-0.985;P=0.001),obstructive jaundice(OR:6.698;95%CI:1.133-39.596;P=0.036),application of anticoagulants/antiplatelet medications(OR:24.078;95%CI:1.678-345.495;P=0.019)and age(OR:1.096;95%CI:1.012-1.187;P=0.025)were statistically associated with the incidence of major complications after PLB.CONCLUSION In conclusion,the results of this annual audit confirmed that ultrasound-guided PLB can be performed safely,with a major complication rate within the accepted range.Strict patient selection and peri-biopsy laboratory assessment are more important than procedural factors for optimizing the safety outcomes of this procedure.

Shrubs proliferated within a six-year exclosure in a temperate grassland—Spatiotemporal relationships between vegetation and soil variables

Overgrazing has been considered one of the maj or causes that trigger shrub encroachment of grassland. Proliferation of shrubs in grassland is recognized as an important indicator of grassland degradation and desertification. In China, various conservation measures, including enclosures to reduce livestock grazing, have been taken to reverse the trend of grassland desertification, yet shrubs have been reported to increase in the grasslands over the past decades. In late 2007, we set up a 400-m-by-50-m exclosure in a long-term overgrazed temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia, with the ob- jective to quantify the spatiotemporal relationship between vegetation dynamics, soil variables, and grazing exclusion. Soil moisture was continuously monitored within the exclosure, and cover and aboveground biomass of the shrubs were measured inside the exclosure in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013, and outside the exclosure in 2012 and 2013. We found the average shrub cover and biomass significantly increased in the six years by 103 % and 120%, respectively. The result supported the hypothesis that releasing grazing pressure following long-term overgrazing tends to trigger shrub invasion into grassland. Our results, limited to a single gradient, suggest that any conservation measures with quick release of overgrazing pressure by enclosure or other similar means might do just the opposite to accelerate shrub en- croachment in grassland. The changes in vegetation cover and biomass were regressed on the temporal average of the soil moisture content by means of the generalized least square technique to quantify the effect of the spatial autocor- relation. The result indicates that the grass cover and biomass significantly increased with the top, but decreased with the bottom layer soil moisture. The shrub cover and biomass, on the other hand, decreased with the top, but increased with bottom soil moisture, although the regression coefficients for the shrubs were not statistically significant. Hence this study supports the two-layered soil model which assumes grasses and shrubs use belowground resources in dif- ferent depths.

Impacts of reduced wind speed on physiology and ecosystem carbon flux of a semi-arid steppe ecosystem

Decreasing wind speed is one aspect of global climate change as well as global warming, and has become a new research orientation in recent decades. The decrease is especially evident in places with frequent perennially high wind speeds. We simulated decreased wind speed by using a steel-sheet wind shield in a temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia to examine the changes in physical environmental variables, as well as their impacts on the photosynthesis of grass leaves and net ecosystem exchange （NEE）. We then used models to calculate the variation of boundary layer conductance （BLC） and its impact on leaf photosynthesis, and this allowed us to separate the direct effects of wind speed reduction on leaf photo- synthesis （BLC） from the indirect ones （via soil moisture balance）. The results showed that reduced wind speed primarily resulted in higher moisture and temperature in soil, and indirectly affected net assimilation and water use efficiency of the prevalent bunch grass Stipa krylovii. Moreover, the wind-sheltered plant community had a stronger ability to sequester carbon than did the wind-exposed community during the growing season.

Consensus on potential biomarkers developed for use in clinical tests for schizophrenia

Background Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness affecting approximately 20 million individuals globally.Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the illness.If left undiagnosed and untreated,schizophrenia results in impaired social function,repeated hospital admissions,reduced quality of life and decreased life expectancy.Clinical diagnosis largely relies on subjective evidence,including self-reported experiences,and reported behavioural abnormalities followed by psychiatric evaluation.In addition,psychoses may occur along with other conditions,and the symptoms are often episodic and transient,posing a significant challenge to the precision of diagnosis.Therefore,objective,specific tests using biomarkers are urgently needed for differential diagnosis of schizophrenia in clinical practice.Aims We aimed to provide evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations,with a summary of laboratory measurements that could potentially be used as biomarkers for schizophrenia,and to discuss directions for future research.Methods We searched publications within the last 10 years with the following keywords:‘schizophrenia’,‘gene’,‘inflammation’,‘neurotransmitter’,‘protein marker’,‘gut microbiota’,‘pharmacogenomics’and‘biomarker’.A draft of the consensus was discussed and agreed on by all authors at a round table session.Results We summarised the characteristics of candidate diagnostic markers for schizophrenia,including genetic,inflammatory,neurotransmitter,peripheral protein,pharmacogenomic and gut microbiota markers.We also proposed a novel laboratory process for diagnosing schizophrenia in clinical practice based on the evidence summarised in this paper.Conclusions Further efforts are needed to identify schizophrenia-specific genetic and epigenetic markers for precise diagnosis,differential diagnosis and ethnicity-specific markers for the Chinese population.The development of novel laboratory techniques is making it possible to use these biomarkers clinically to diagnose disease.

Effects of Different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Growth and Protective Enzyme Activity of Glycyrrhiza uralensis

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effects of 5 kinds of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi( Acaulospora mellea,Glomus mosseae,Glomus versiforme,Glomus aggregatum,Glomus etunicatum) on the growth and protective enzyme activity of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. [Method] The growth indicators and protective enzymes activity of glycyrrhiza plants inoculated and uninoculated with fungi were compared. [Result] The plant height,basal diameter,main root length,aboveground fresh weight,underground fresh weight,aboveground dry weight and underground dry weight of the inoculated glycyrrhiza plants were increased significantly compared with those in the control( non-inoculation) group. In the inoculated glycyrrhiza plants,the growth index was significantly increased compared with that in the control group( P <0. 05); the activities of superoxide dismutase( SOD) and peroxidase( POD) increased first and then decreased; and the activity of catalase( CAT) showed a continuous rising trend. The effects of different inoculants on the growth of G. uralensis were significantly different.[Conclusion]G. etunicatum,G. mosseae and G. aggregatum had a significant effect on the growth of G. uralensis,and were superior to other fungi in resisting the adverse environment.

Expression of SIRT1 signaling pathway in intestinal tissues of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis

Objective:To analyze the expression of sirtuin type 1 (SIRT1) signal pathway in intestinal tissues of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and to preliminarily explore the role of SIRT1 in the occurrence of NEC.Methods: From January 2017 to June 2017, the ileal tissues of 35 neonates with NEC underwent one-stage fistula treatment were selected as NEC group, and the ileal tissues of these 35 neonates underwent two-stage fistula treatment were selected as control group. The expression levels of SIRT1, transcription factor-nuclear factor (NF-κB), and SUMO specific protease 1 (SENP1) were detected by qRT-PCR;the expressions of SIRT1, NF-κB, and SENP1 were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting (WB). Results: SIRT1 mRNA, protein positive expression rate, average optical density, and relative protein expression in intestinal tissues of children in NEC group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.05), however, the expression of NF-κB, the SENP1 mRNA and protein positive expression rates, the average optical density, and relative protein expression were significantly increased (P<0.05).Conclusion: SIRT1 is low expressed in intestinal tissues of children with NEC, the possible reason is that SIRT1 signaling pathway is suppressed and then NEC occurs.

Effects of alprostadil on respiratory parameters and hemodynamics of newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension

Objective: To investigate the effects of alprostadil on respiratory parameters and hemodynamics of newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension. Methods: According to random data table method, 80 newborns of pulmonary hypertension were randomly divided into the control group (n=40) and observation group (n=40), patients in the control group were given normal frequency ventilation, on the basis of the treatment of the control group, the observation group received alprostadil. The changes of respiratory parameters and hemodynamics were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results:The levels of respiratory parameters (SaO2, PaO2, PaCO2) and hemodynamics (PA, PVR, SVR) in the two groups before treatment were not statistically significant. After treatment, The levels of SaO2, PaO2in the two groups were significantly higher than those in the same group before treatment, and the observation group levels were (90.71±8.92)%, (85.27±8.23) mmHg, which were significantly higher than those in the control group after treatment;The levels of PaCO2, PA, PVR and SVR in the two groups after treatment were significantly lower than those in the same group before treatment, and the observation group were (35.22±3.46) mmHg, (26.95±3.78) mmHg, (725.71±108.82) dyns/cm5, (1 125.27±152.23) dyns/cm5, which were significantly lower than that of the control group. Conclusion: Adding alprostadil based on conventional frequent ventilation thraphy can effectively improve blood pressure and oxygen saturation, and improve hemodynamics of newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension, which has important clinical value.

Integrins in human hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis and therapy

Integrins are a family of transmembrane receptors that connect the extracellular matrix and actin skeleton, which mediate cell adhesion, migration, signal transduction, and gene transcription. As a bi-directional signaling molecule, integrins can modulate many aspects of tumorigenesis, including tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Therefore, integrins have a great potential as antitumor therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the recent reports of integrins in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), focusing on the abnormal expression, activation, and signaling of integrins in cancer cells as well as their roles in other cells in the tumor microenvironment. We also discuss the regulation and functions of integrins in hepatitis B virus-related HCC. Finally, we update the clinical and preclinical studies of integrin-related drugs in the treatment of HCC.

Integrating global socio-economic influences into a regional land use change model for China

With rapid economic development and urba- nization, land use in China has experienced huge changes in recent years; and this will probably continue in the future. Land use problems in China are urgent and need further study. Rapid land-use change and economic development make China an ideal region for integrated land use change studies, particularly the examination of multiple factors and global-regional interactions in the context of global economic integration. This paper presents an integrated modeling approach to examine the impact of global socio-economic processes on land use changes at a regional scale. We develop an integrated model system by coupling a simple global socio-economic model （GLOBFOOD） and regional spatial allocation model （CLUE）. The model system is illustrated with an application to land use in China. For a given climate change, population growth, and various socio-economic situations, a global socio-economic model simulates the impact of global market and economy on land use, and quantifies changes of different land use types. The land use spatial distribution model decides the type of land use most appropriate in each spatial grid by employing a weighted suitability index, derived from expert knowledge abot^t the ecosystem state and site conditions. A series of model simulations will be conducted and analyzed to demonstrate the ability of the integrated model to link global socio- economic factors with regional land use changes in China. The results allow an exploration of the future dynamics of land use and landscapes in China.

Carbon Sequestration in Two Alpine Soils on the Tibetan Plateau

Soil carbon sequestration was estimated in a conifer forest and an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau using a carbon- 14 radioactive label provided by thermonuclear weapon tests （known as bomb-^14C）. Soil organic matter was physically separated into light and heavy fractions. The concentration spike of bomb-^14C occurred at a soil depth of 4 cm in both the forest soil and the alpine meadow soil. Based on the depth of the bomb-^14C spike, the carbon sequestration rate was determined to be 38.5 g C/m^2 per year for the forest soil and 27.1 g C/m^2 per year for the alpine meadow soil. Considering that more than 60% of soil organic carbon （SOC） is stored in the heavy fraction and the large area of alpine forests and meadows on the Tibetan Plateau, these alpine ecosystems might partially contribute to ＂the missing carbon sink＂.

Investigation of latest generation pulsed fiber laser in dissimilar joining of Al and Mg alloys

Dissimilar metal joining of magnesium to aluminum was investigated using the latest generation nanosecond pulsed fiber laser. The tensile shear test shows that the average tensile shear strength of a joint was 86 MPa,which was 75% of the aluminum substrate. The weld interface exhibited a mixture phase（Mg solid solution and Mg（17）Al（12）） that improves the strength and toughness of the joint. A thin Mg–Al intermetallic compound layer was formed on both sides of the weld seam toward the Al side. Fracture occurred toward the Al substrate side rather than the Mg–Al interface, indicating a high joining strength at the weld interface.