Results of the cancer screening feasibility study in China:a multicentered randomized controlled trial of lung and colorectal cancer screening

Background:To provide an understanding of important aspects of the participant recruitment and data collec-tion,become aware of any potential problems,and obtain necessary information in order to design a large-scale randomized controlled trial(RCT)for lung cancer and colorectal cancer(CRC)screening in China.Methods:This feasibility study was a multicentered,open-label,pilot randomized trial.A total of 2696 participants who were at high risk of lung cancer were recruited from three screening centers and randomly allocated to arm 1(n=894),annual low-dose computed tomography(LDCT)plus a baseline colonoscopy;arm 2(n=902),biennial LDCT plus annual fecal immunochemical test(FIT)with OC-Sensor(OC-FIT);and arm 3(n=900),annual Insure-FIT plus Septin 9 blood test.Information on randomization,compliance,positivity rate,cancer case detection,and contamination with screening for lung cancer and CRC were collected.Results:Participant characteristics were similar across study arms.The compliance rate of annual LDCT screening in arm 1 was 86.4%(95%CI:83.9%,88.5%)at baseline(T0),and 69.0%(95%CI:65.8%,72.0%)and 70.7%(95%CI:67.6%,73.7%)at the following two rounds(T1 and T2).The compliance rates of biennial LDCT screening in arm 2 were similar to those in arm 1 in the corresponding rounds.The compliance rate was 55.5%(95%CI:52.2%,58.8%)for colonoscopy in arm 1,while the compliance rates of OC-FIT,Insure-FIT,and the Septin 9 test in arms 2 and 3 were all approximately 90%at T0,decreasing to 65%-80%at T1 and T2.The positivity rate,cancer case detection rate,and contamination rate of screening for lung cancer and CRC were also reported.Conclusion:In this pilot study,the feasibility of an RCT in China of lung cancer and CRC screening was demon-strated.

Effect of Jianpi Shengxue Tablet on Iron Metabolism and Nutritional Status in Patients with Renal Anemia:A Prospective,Randomized,Open,Parallel Controlled and Multicenter Clinical Study

Objective This study aimed to analyze the clinical efficacy of the Jianpi Shengxue tablet for treating renal anemia.Methods A total of 200 patients with renal anemia from December 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups.Patients in the control group were treated with polysaccharide-iron complex,and those in the experimental group were administered Jianpi Shengxue tablet.After 8 weeks of continuous treatment,the therapeutic outcomes regarding anemia were compared between the two groups.Results After treatment,the red blood cell(RBC)count,hematocrit(HCT),reticulocyte percentage(RET),ferritin(SF),serum iron(SI),transferrin saturation(TSAT),and serum albumin(ALB)all increased(P<0.01),and the clinical symptom score and total iron binding capacity decreased(P<0.01)in the experimental group.Moreover,the improvements in RBC,HCT,RET,SF,SI,TAST,ALB,and clinical symptoms(fatigue,anorexia,dull skin complexion,numbness of hands and feet)in the experimental group were significantly greater than those in the control group(P<0.05).The total effective rate for treating renal anemia was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.01).Conclusion The Jianpi Shengxue tablet demonstrates efficacy in treating renal anemia,leading to significant improvements in the laboratory examination results and clinical symptoms of patients with renal anemia.

Development and Validation of an Automatic Ultrawide-Field Fundus Imaging Enhancement System for Facilitating Clinical Diagnosis:A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study

In ophthalmology,the quality of fundus images is critical for accurate diagnosis,both in clinical practice and in artificial intelligence(AI)-assisted diagnostics.Despite the broad view provided by ultrawide-field(UWF)imaging,pseudocolor images may conceal critical lesions necessary for precise diagnosis.To address this,we introduce UWF-Net,a sophisticated image enhancement algorithm that takes disease characteristics into consideration.Using the Fudan University ultra-wide-field image(FDUWI)dataset,which includes 11294 Optos pseudocolor and 2415 Zeiss true-color UWF images,each of which is rigorously annotated,UWF-Net combines global style modeling with feature-level lesion enhancement.Pathological consistency loss is also applied to maintain fundus feature integrity,significantly improving image quality.Quantitative and qualitative evaluations demonstrated that UWF-Net outperforms existing methods such as contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization(CLAHE)and structure and illumination constrained generative adversarial network(StillGAN),delivering superior retinal image quality,higher quality scores,and preserved feature details after enhancement.In disease classification tasks,images enhanced by UWF-Net showed notable improvements when processed with existing classification systems over those enhanced by StillGAN,demonstrating a 4.62%increase in sensitivity(SEN)and a 3.97%increase in accuracy(ACC).In a multicenter clinical setting,UWF-Net-enhanced images were preferred by ophthalmologic technicians and doctors,and yielded a significant reduction in diagnostic time((13.17±8.40)s for UWF-Net enhanced images vs(19.54±12.40)s for original images)and an increase in diagnostic accuracy(87.71%for UWF-Net enhanced images vs 80.40%for original images).Our research verifies that UWF-Net markedly improves the quality of UWF imaging,facilitating better clinical outcomes and more reliable AI-assisted disease classification.The clinical integration of UWF-Net holds great promise for enhancing diagnostic processes and patient care in ophthalmology.

Nomogram prediction of vessels encapsulating tumor clusters in small hepatocellular carcinoma≤3 cm based on enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters(VETC)represent a recently discovered vascular pattern associated with novel metastasis mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,it seems that no one have focused on predicting VETC status in small HCC(sHCC).This study aimed to develop a new nomogram for predicting VETC positivity using preoperative clinical data and image features in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients.AIM To construct a nomogram that combines preoperative clinical parameters and image features to predict patterns of VETC and evaluate the prognosis of sHCC patients.METHODS A total of 309 patients with sHCC,who underwent segmental resection and had their VETC status confirmed,were included in the study.These patients were recruited from three different hospitals:Hospital 1 contributed 177 patients for the training set,Hospital 2 provided 78 patients for the test set,and Hospital 3 provided 54 patients for the validation set.Independent predictors of VETC were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic analyses.These independent predictors were then used to construct a VETC prediction model for sHCC.The model’s performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC),calibration curve,and clinical decision curve.Additionally,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to confirm whether the predicted VETC status by the model is associated with early recurrence,just as it is with the actual VETC status and early recurrence.RESULTS Alpha-fetoprotein_lg10,carbohydrate antigen 199,irregular shape,non-smooth margin,and arterial peritumoral enhancement were identified as independent predictors of VETC.The model incorporating these predictors demonstrated strong predictive performance.The AUC was 0.811 for the training set,0.800 for the test set,and 0.791 for the validation set.The calibration curve indicated that the predicted probability was consistent with the actual VETC status in all three sets.Furthermore,the decision curve analysis demonstrated the clinical benefits of our model for patients with sHCC.Finally,early recurrence was more likely to occur in the VETC-positive group compared to the VETC-negative group,regardless of whether considering the actual or predicted VETC status.CONCLUSION Our novel prediction model demonstrates strong performance in predicting VETC positivity in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients,and it holds potential for predicting early recurrence.This model equips clinicians with valuable information to make informed clinical treatment decisions.

Hybrid argon plasma coagulation for the treatment of Barrett’s esophagus:A prospective,multicenter study

BACKGROUND The incidence of Barrett’s esophagus(BE)in China is lower compared to the Western populations.Hence,studies conducted in the Chinese population has been limited.The current treatment options available for BE treatment includes argon plasma coagulation(APC),radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation,all with varying degrees of success.AIM To determine the efficacy and safety of HybridAPC in the treatment of BE.METHODS The study cohort consisted of patients with BE who underwent HybridAPC ablation treatment.These procedures were performed by seven endoscopists from different tertiary hospitals.The duration of the procedure,curative rate,complications and recurrent rate by 1-year follow-up were recorded.RESULTS Eighty individuals were enrolled for treatment from July 2017 to June 2020,comprising of 39 males and 41 females with a median age of 54 years(range,30 to 83 years).The technical success rate of HybridAPC was 100%and the overall curative rate was 98.15%.No severe complications occurred during the operation.BE cases were classified as short-segment BE and long-segment BE.Patients with short-segment BE were all considered cured without complications.Thirty-six patients completed the one-year follow-up without recurrence.Twenty-four percent had mild dysplasia which were all resolved with one post-procedural treatment.The mean duration of the procedure was 10.94±6.52 min.CONCLUSION Treatment of BE with HybridAPC was found to be a simple and quick procedure that is safe and effective during the short-term follow-up,especially in cases of short-segment BE.This technique could be considered as a feasible alternative ablation therapy for BE.

Current treatment paradigm and survival outcomes among patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in China:a retrospective multicenter study

Objective:Evidence on the prognostic value of autologous stem cell transplantation(ASCT)and minimal residual disease(MRD)dynamics of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma(NDMM)in China is limited.Our objective in the current study was to understand the current care paradigm and outcomes of these patients.Methods:This longitudinal cohort study used historical data from three top-tier hematologic disease care hospitals that contributed to the National Longitudinal Cohort of Hematological Diseases-Multiple Myeloma.Treatment regimens[proteasome inhibitor(PI)-,immunomodulatory drug(IMiD)-,PI+IMiD-based,and conventional],post-induction response,ASCT and MRD status,and survival outcomes[progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)]were evaluated.Results:In total,454 patients with NDMM were included(median age,57 years;59.0%males)with a median follow-up of 58.7 months.The overall response rate was 91.0%,83.9%,90.6%,and 60.9%for PI-,IMiD-,PI+IMiD-based,and conventional regimens,respectively.Patients with ASCT during first-line therapy(26.2%)had a longer PFS and OS than patients who did not receive ASCT[median PFS,42.9 vs.21.2 months,P<0.001;median OS,not reached(NR)vs.65.8 months,P<0.001].The median OS was NR,71.5,and 56.6 months among patients with sustained MRD negativity,loss of MRD negativity,and persistent MRD,respectively(P<0.001).Multivariate analysis revealed that the lactic dehydrogenase level,International Staging System stage,extra-medullary disease,and upfront ASCT were independent factors in predicting OS among NDMM patients.Conclusions:Our study showed that novel agent-based regimens,first-line ASCT,and sustained MRD negativity were associated with a superior outcome for patients with NDMM in China(Identifier:NCT04645199).

Geology, geochronology, and exploration of the Jiama giant porphyry copper deposit (11 Mt), Tibet, China: A review

Jiama,with more than 11 Mt of copper metal,is the largest porphyry-skarn copper system in the Gangdese metallogenic belt,Tibet,China,creating ideal conditions for deciphering the origin of porphyry ores in a collision setting.Despite massive studies of the geology,chronology,petrogenesis,and ore-related fluids and their sources in Jiama,there is a lack of systematic summaries and reviews of this system.In contrast to traditional porphyry copper systems in a subduction setting,recent studies and exploration suggest that the Jiama deposit includes porphyry-type Mo-Cu,skarn-type Cu polymetallic,vein-type Au and manto orebodies.This paper reviews the latest studies on the geology,chronology,petrogenesis,fluid inclusions,and isotopic geochemistry(hydrogen,oxygen,sulfur,and lead)of the Jiama deposit.Accordingly,a multi-center complex mineralization model was constructed,indicating that multi-phase intrusions from the same magma reservoir can form multiple hydrothermal centers.These centers are mutually independent and form various orebodies or are superimposed on each other and form thick,high-grade orebodies.Finally,a new comprehensive exploration model was established for the Jiama porphyry copper system.Both models established in this study help to refine the theories on continental-collision metallogeny and porphyry copper systems.

Efficacy and Safety of the Chinese Herbal Compound TJAOA101 in Treating Diminished Ovarian Reserve: A Protocol for Multicenter, Prospective, and Pre-Post Study

Objective Diminished ovarian reserve(DOR)can lead to early menopause,poor fecundity,and an increased risk of disorders such as osteoporosis,cardiovascular disease,and cognitive impairment,seriously affecting the physical and mental health of women.There is still no safe and effective strategy or method to combat DOR.We have developed a novel Chinese herbal formula,Tongji anti-ovarian aging 101(TJAOA101),to treat DOR.However,its safety and efficacy need to be further validated.Methods In this prospective and pre-post clinical trial,100 eligible patients aged 18–45 diagnosed with DOR will be recruited.All participants receive TJAOA101 twice a day for 3 months.Then,comparisons before and after treatment will be analyzed,and the outcomes,including anti-mullerian hormone(AMH)and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)levels and the antral follicle count(AFC),the recovery rate of menopause,and the Kupperman index(KMI),will be assessed at baseline,every month during medication(the intervention period),and 1,3 months after medication(the follow-up period).Assessments for adverse events will be performed during the intervention and follow-up periods.Conclusion A multicenter,prospective study will be conducted to further confirm the safety and efficacy of TJAOA101 in treating DOR and to provide new therapeutic strategies for improving the quality of life in DOR patients.

Acupuncture for stroke cohort construction:a protocol describing a multicenter,prospective,real-world cohort construction study

Background:Acupuncture for stroke has been endorsed by the World Health Organization,and the Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke 2018 lists acupuncture for stroke as a Level II recommendation with Level B evidence.The efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke needs to be approved by more high-quality studies.However,there are currently no real-world studies of acupuncture for stroke.Methods:Stroke patients who meet the study criteria and are hospitalized from February 2021 to March 2022 in 23 medical institutions across China,including the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Chinese Medicine.The number of patients planned to be recruited is 3,000.Due to the impact of COVID-19,we have applied to the competent authorities for an extension(recruit patients until December 2022).Basic patient information and treatment information will be registered at admission,at discharge,and on the following dates after the onset of the disease:90±7 days,180±7 days,and 360±7 days after the onset of the disease.Establish a database for statistical analysis.Discussion:This study proposes to conduct a prospective cohort study of acupuncture intervention for stroke in a real-world medical setting.Analysis of the effect pattern of acupuncture intervention on the recovery of neurological function system and swallowing disorder in stroke patients.Evaluate the long-term effects of acupuncture intervention for stroke and recurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Infrared Spectra and Theoretical Calculations of BS2 and BS2-： Strong Pseudo Jahn-Teller Effect

Laser ablated boron atoms have been reacted with hydrogen sulfide and the reaction products condensed with argon at 4 K, which gave BS2, BS2-, HSBS, and HBS molecules. Reagent isotopic substitution （H2S, H234S, D2S, 10 B, 11B） and variation of boron and hydrogen sulfide concentrations have been used to identify the major products. Both BS2-- and BS2 were identified as linear molecules with no significant difference in the structure parameters, but the B-S anti-symmetric stretching vibration of BS2 is significantly lower than that of BS2-, which is ascribed to pseudo Jahn-Teller effect. Theoretical calculation was employed to have an insight into the interaction nature of the bonds in the corresponding products.

Prevalence of clonorchiasis in patients with gastrointestinal disease: A Korean nationwide multicenter survey

AIM： To investigate prevalence of C/onorchis sinensis in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, and the relation of the infection to hepatobiliary diseases in 26 hospitals in Korea. METHODS： Consecutive patients who had been admitted to the Division of Gastroenterology with gastrointestinal symptoms were enrolled from March to April 2005. Of those who had been diagnosed with clonorchiasis, epidemiology and correlation between infection and hepatobiliary diseases were surveyed by questionnaire. RESULTS： Of 3080 patients with gastrointestinal diseases, 396 （12.9%） had clonorchiasis and 1140 patients （37.2%） had a history of eating raw freshwater fish. Of those with a history of raw freshwater fish ingestion, 238 （20.9%） patients had clonorchiasis. Cholangiocarcinoma was more prevalent in C. sinensis-infected patients than nonnfected patients [34/396 （8.6%） vs 145/2684 （5.4%）, P = 0.015]. Cholangiocarcinoma and clonorchiasis showed statistically significant positive cross-relation （P = 0.008）. Choledocholithiasis, cholecystolithiasis, cholangitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and biliary pancreatitis did not correlate with clonorchiasis. CONCLUSION： Infection rate of clonorchiasis was still high in patients with gastrointestinal diseases in Korea, and has not decreased very much during the last two decades. Cholangiocarcinoma was related to clonorchiasis, which suggested an etiological role for the parasite.

Burden of diabetic foot ulcer in Nigeria: Current evidence from the multicenter evaluation of diabetic foot ulcer in Nigeria

BACKGROUND Nigeria bears the greatest burden of diabetes prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa. Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes. Significant improvements in diabetic foot incidence and outcomes have been recorded in many Western countries in the past decade. However, the current burden of DFU in Nigeria is largely unknown. AIM To evaluate the patients’ profile, ulcer characteristics, associated co-morbidities and outcome of patients with DFU in Nigeria. METHODS Multicenter evaluation of diabetic foot ulcer in Nigeria was a one year multicenter observational study of patients hospitalized for DFU in six tertiary health institutions in Nigeria from March 2016 to March 2017. Demographic and diabetes information, ulcer characteristics and associated co-morbidities were assessed. Relevant laboratory and imaging studies were performed. All patients received appropriate multi-disciplinary care and were followed up until discharge or death. Outcome variables of interest were ulcer healing, lower extremity amputation (LEA), duration of hospitalization and mortality. RESULTS A total of 336 patients (55.1% male) with mean age of 55.9 ± 12.5 years were enrolled into this study. Majority (96.1%) had type 2 diabetes. Only 25.9% of the subjects had prior foot care knowledge. Most of the subjects presented late to the hospital and median (IQR) duration of ulcer at presentation was 39 (28-54) d. Ulcers were already advanced (Wagner grades ≥ 3) in 79.2% of the subjects while 76.8% of the ulcers were infected at the time of admission. The commonest comorbidities were systemic hypertension, anemia and hyperglycemic emergencies. One hundred and nineteen subjects (35.4%) suffered LEA while 10.4% left against medical advice. The median (IQR) duration of hospitalization was 52.0 (29-66) d with case fatality rate of 20.5%. CONCLUSION The burden of DFU in Nigeria is very high. The major gaps include low level of foot care knowledge among diabetic patients, overdependence on self-medication and unorthodox medicine following development of foot ulceration, late hospital presentation, and high amputation and mortality rates. Extensive foot care education within the framework of a multi-disciplinary foot care team is highly desirable.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells to treat spinal cord injury in the early chronic phase: study protocol for a prospective, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded clinical trial

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs)support revascularization,inhibition of inflammation,regulation of apoptosis,and promotion of the release of beneficial factors.Thus,they are regarded as a promising candidate for the treatment of intractable spinal cord injury(SCI).Clinical studies on patients with early chronic SCI(from 2 months to 1 year post-injury),which is clinically common,are rare;therefore,we will conduct a prospective,multicenter,randomized,placebo-controlled,single-blinded clinical trial at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,West China Hospital of Sichuan University,and Shanghai East Hospital,Tongji University School of Medicine,China.The trial plans to recruit 66 early chronic SCI patients.Eligible patients will undergo randomization at a 2:1 ratio to two arms:the observation group and the control group.Subjects in the observation group will receive four intrathecal transplantations of stem cells,with a dosage of 1×106/kg,at one calendar month intervals.Subjects in the control group will receive intrathecal administrations of 10 mL sterile normal saline in place of the stem cell transplantations.Clinical safety will be assessed by the analysis of adverse events and laboratory tests.The American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)total score will be the primary efficacy endpoint,and the secondary efficacy outcomes will be the following:ASIA impairment scale,International Association of Neural Restoration-Spinal Cord Injury Functional Rating Scale,muscle tension,electromyogram,cortical motor and cortical sensory evoked potentials,residual urine volume,magnetic resonance imaging–diffusion tensor imaging,T cell subtypes in serum,neurotrophic factors and inflammatory factors in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid.All evaluations will be performed at 1,3,6,and 12 months following the final intrathecal administration.During the entire study procedure,all adverse events will be reported as soon as they are noted.This trial is designed to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of subarachnoid transplantation of hUC-MSCs to treat early chronic SCI.Moreover,it will establish whether cytotherapy can ameliorate local hostile microenvironments,promote tracking fiber regeneration,and strengthen spinal conduction ability,thus improving overall motor,sensory,and micturition/defecation function in patients with early chronic SCI.This study was approved by the Stem Cell Research Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,China(approval No.[2018]-02)on March 30,2018,and was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov(registration No.NCT03521323)on April 12,2018.The revised trial protocol(protocol version 4.0)was approved by the Stem Cell Research Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,China(approval No.[2019]-10)on February 25,2019,and released on ClinicalTrials.gov on April 29,2019.

Prognostic analysis of patients with combined hepatocellularcholangiocarcinoma after radical resection:A retrospective multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma(cHCC-CCA)is a form of rare primary liver cancer that combines intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)and hepatocellular carcinoma.AIM To investigate overall survival(OS)and recurrence-free survival(RFS)after radical resection in patients with cHCC-CCA,and the clinicopathological factors affecting prognosis in two center hospitals of China.METHODS We reviewed consecutive patients with cHCC-CCA who received radical resection between January 2005 and September 2021 at Peking Union Medical College and the 5th Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital retrospectively.Regular follow-up and clinicopathological characteristics were systematic collected for baseline and prognostic analysis.RESULTS Our study included 95 patients who received radical resection.The majority of these patients were male and 82.7%of these patients were infected with HBV.The mean tumor size was 4.5 cm,and approximately 40%of patients had more than one lesion.The median OS was 26.8(95%CI:18.5-43.0)mo,and the median RFS was 7.27(95%CI:5.83-10.3)mo.Independent predictors of OS were CA19-9≥37 U/mL(HR=8.68,P=0.002),Child-Pugh score>5(HR=5.52,P=0.027),tumor number>1(HR=30.85,P=0.002),tumor size and transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)after surgery(HR=0.2,P=0.005).CONCLUSION The overall postoperative survival of cHCC-CCA patients is poor,and most patients experience relapse within a short period of time after surgery.Preoperative tumor biomarker(CA19-9,alphafetoprotein)levels,tumor size,and Child-Pugh score can significantly affect OS.Adjuvant TACE after surgery prolongs RFS,suggesting that TACE is a possible option for postoperative adjuvant therapy in patients with cHCC-CCA.

Surgery for gastric cancer patients of age 85 and older: Multicenter survey

To investigate the surgical therapies for gastric cancer (GC) patients of age 85 or older in a multicenter survey.METHODSTherapeutic opportunities for elderly GC patients have expanded in conjunction with extended life expectancy. However, the number of cases encountered in a single institution is usually very small and surgical therapies for elderly GC patients have not yet been standardized completely. In the present study, a total of 134 GC patients of age 85 or older who underwent surgery in 9 related facilities were retrospectively investigated. The relationships between surgical therapies and clinicopathological or prognostic features were analyzed.RESULTSEighty-nine of the patients (66%) presented with a comorbidity, and 26 (19% overall) presented with more than two comorbidities. Radical lymphadenectomy was performed in 59 patients (44%), and no patient received pre- or post-operative chemotherapy. Forty of the patients (30%) experienced perioperative complications, but no surgical or perioperative mortality occurred. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in only 12 of the patients (9.0%). Univariate and multivariate analyses of the 113 patients who underwent R0 or R1 resection identified the factors of pT3/4 and limited lymphadenectomy as predictive of worse prognosis (HR = 4.68, P = 0.02 and HR =2.19, P = 0.05, respectively). Non-cancer-specific death was more common in cStage I patients than in cStage II or III patients. Limited lymphadenectomy correlated with worse cancer-specific survival (P = 0.01), particularly in cStage II patients (P < 0.01). There were no relationships between limited lymphadenectomy and any comorbidities, except for cerebrovascular disease (P = 0.07).CONCLUSIONNon-cancer-specific death was not negligible, particularly in cStage I, and gastrectomy with radical lymphadenectomy appears to be an effective treatment for cStage II elderly GC patients.

Rate of anticoagulant use, and factors associated with not prescribing anticoagulant in older Thai adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: A multicenter registry

Objectives To investigate the rate of anticoagulant use,the reasons for not prescribing anticoagulant,and the factors associated with non-prescription of anticoagulant in older Thai adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.Methods A multicenter registry of patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation was conducted during 2014 to 2017 in Thailand.Demographic,medical history,antithrombotic medication,non-antithrombotic medication,and laboratory data were collected and analyzed.Data were compared between the older adult (≥ 65 years) and younger adult (< 65 years) groups.The reasons why anticoagulant was not prescribed were collected,and predictive factors were identified.Results A total of 3218 patients (1873 males) with an average age of 67.3 ± 11.3 years were included.Almost two-thirds (61.0%) of patients were in the older adult group.Anticoagulant was prescribed in 2422 patients (75.3%): 81.4% in the older adult group and 65.7% in the younger adult group.The three main reasons for not prescribing anticoagulant were already taking antiplatelets,patient refusal,and bleeding risk.These reasons were more common in older adults as compared to younger adults.Multivariate analysis revealed current use of antiplatelets to be the most important factor that predict the non-prescription of anticoagulant in older population.Conclusions The prevalence of anticoagulant prescription among older Thai adults with atrial fibrillation is 81.4%.Taking antiplatelet drugs was found to be the strongest reason that predicts the non-prescription of anticoagulant in this patient population.A guideline should be developed to optimize the use of anticoagulant and antiplatelet in older adults.

Long term follow-up and outcome of liver transplantation from hepatitis B surface antigen positive donors

Liver transplant for hepatitis B virus(HBV) currently yields excellent outcomes: it allows to rescue patients with an HBV-related advanced liver disease, resulting in a demographical modification of the waiting list for liver transplant. In an age of patient-tailored treatments, in liver transplantation as well the aim is to offer the best suitable graft to the patient who can benefit from it, also expanding the criteria for organ acceptance and allocation. With the intent of developing strategies to increase the donor pool, we set-up a multicenter study involving 3 Liver Transplant Centers in Italy: patients undergoing liver transplantation between March 03, 2004, and May 21, 2010, were retrospectively evaluated. 1408 patients underwent liver transplantation during the study period, 28(2%) received the graft from hepatitis B surface antigen positive(HBs Ag)-positive deceased donors. The average follow-up after liver transplantation was 63.7 mo [range: 0.1-119.4; SD ± 35.8]. None Primary nonfunction, re-liver transplantation, early or late hepatic artery thrombosis occurred. The 1-, 3-and 5-year graft and patient survival resulted of 85.7%, 82.1%, 78.4%. Our results suggest that the use of HBs Agpositive donors liver grafts is feasible, since HBV can be controlled without affecting graft stability. However, the selection of grafts and the postoperative antiviral therapy should be managed appropriately.

Ground State Energy Calculations of Isoelectronic Series of He in Double-Zeta Approximation Using Coulomb Potential with Noninteger Indices

Using formulae for one- and two-electron integrals of Coulomb interaction potential fk （r） = r^-k with non-integer indices k established by one of the authors with the help of complete orthonormal sets of ψ^α-exponential-type orbitals （α = 1, 0,-1,-2,…）, we perform the calculations for isoelectronic series of the He atom containing nuclear charges from 2 to 10, where k = 1 - μ （-1 〈 μ 〈 0）. For this purpose we have used the double-zeta approximation, the configuration interaction and coupled-cluster methods employing the integer-n Slater-type orbitals as basis sets. It is demonstrated that the results of calculations obtained are better than the numerical Hartree-Fock values.

Acupoint electrogymnastics therapy in stroke hemiplegia

BACKGROUND： Electrogymnastics can offer a range of proprioceptive, motor, and cutaneous sensation impulses to the central nerve system. The center receives perception of the paralyzed muscle through the aid of these impulses. During this process, functional reorganization of connecting network between segment and intersegment takes place. OBJECTIVE： To observe the therapeutic efficacy of acupoint electrogymnastics and traditional electroacupuncture on stroke hemiplegia. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A multicenter, randomized, controlled, blinded, clinical study was performed at the College of Acu-moxibustion and Massage in Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2004 to September 2006. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 153 patients suffering from stroke hemiplegia, comprising 83 males and 70 females, aged 63-70 years, were admitted to outpatient and inpatient at LongHua Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese medicine, Putuo District Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Changqiao Street Community Health Service Center of Shanghai. METHODS： The patients were randomly divided into treatment （n = 77） and control （n = 76） groups. They were treated with acupoint electrogymnastics and traditional electroacupuncture, respectively. In the treatment group, two pairs of positive and negative JD-2008 type electrodes from a hemiplegia treatment apparatus were directly pasted on the Shousanli （LI 10） and Waiguan （SJ5） acupoints of the upper limb, as well as the Zusanli （S36） and Yanglingquan （GB34） acupoints of the lower limb, respectively. In the control group, needles were consecutively inserted into the above acupoints. Using the method of lifting-inserting and twisting-rotating, the needle was manipulated with small amplitude of 5-7 mm and a fast frequency of 80-120 times/min when the needle was inserted to a suitable depth. When the sensation of needling was attained, the two pairs of positive and negative electrodes of type G6805-Ⅱelectro-acupuncture apparatus were connected to the Shousanli （LI 10） and Waiguan （SJ5） acupoints of the upper limb, as well as the Zusanli （S36） and Yanglingquan（GB 34） acupoints of the lower limb, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The Fugl-Meyer evaluation method was used to assess upper limb movement, lower limb movement, sensory stimulation of all limbs, balance, and joint range of motion. RESULTS： Upper-lower limb motor function, limb sensory function, balance, and joint range of motion were significantly ameliorated following treatment, compared with pre-treatment （P 〈0.01）. There was no significant difference in various indexes between the two groups after treatment （P 〉0.05）. CONCLUSION： Acupoint electrogymnastics and traditional electroacupuncture exhibited similar curative effects in the treatment of stroke hemiplegia.

Results of Sleeve Gastrectomy in Germany—Data on Nationwide Survey on Quality Assurance in Bariatric Surgery in Germany

Background: Since January 1st of 2005, the situation of bariatric surgery is being analyzed in Germany. The data is registered prospectively in cooperation with the Institute of Quality Assurance in Surgery at the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg. Methods: The data is registered through an online database which includes all information for primary and revision bariatric procedures as well as yearly follow-up. Participation in the quality assurance study is optional. All certificated centers have to participate at the survey. Results: From January 2006 to December 2009, 1478 sleeve gastrectomies (SG) were performed at 45 hospitals. The number of procedures has increased from 126 in 2007 to 933 in 2009. The main complication is leakage of the staple-line. Initial leakage rate was 7% in 2007. Leakage rate dropped down to 2.3% in 2008 and 2.5% in 2009. Mean age of patients was 43.1 years and mean BMI was 52.83 kg/m2. Age and BMI were significantly higher in patients with SG than in all other patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Conclusion: SG is a common and hype bariatric procedure in Germany, but postoperative complication rate is high. Data on the long-term effect of SG on weight loss and amelioration of comorbidities need to be evaluated. More detailed analyzes are necessary to establish the position of SG in the bariatric surgery. Further studies should also include examinations on long-term complications and redo-procedure after SG.