Clinical observation of extraction-site incisional hernia after laparoscopic colorectal surgery

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery increases the risk of incisional hernia(IH)at the tumor extraction site.AIM To investigate the incidence of IH at extraction sites following laparoscopic colo-rectal cancer surgery and identify the risk factors for IH incidence.METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 1614 patients who underwent la-paroscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery with tumor extraction through the abdominal wall at our center between January 2017 and December 2022.Diffe-rences in the incidence of postoperative IH at different extraction sites and the risk factors for IH incidence were investigated.RESULTS Among the 1614 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery,303(18.8%),923(57.2%),171(10.6%),and 217(13.4%)tumors were ex-tracted through supraumbilical midline,infraumbilical midline,umbilical,and off-midline incisions.Of these,52 patients developed IH in the abdominal wall,with an incidence of 3.2%.The incidence of postoperative IH was significantly higher in the off-midline incision group(8.8%)than in the middle incision groups[the supraumbilical midline(2.6%),infraumbilical midline(2.2%),and umbilical incision(2.9%)groups](χ^(2)=24.985;P<0.05).Univariate analysis showed that IH occurrence was associated with age,obesity,sex,chronic cough,incision infection,and combined diabetes,anemia,and hypopro-teinemia(P<0.05).Similarly,multivariate analysis showed that off-midline incision,age,sex(female),obesity,incision infection,combined chronic cough,and hypoproteinemia were independent risk factors for IH at the site of laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The incidence of postoperative IH differs between extraction sites for laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.The infraumbilical midline incision is associated with a lower hernia rate and is thus a suitable tumor extraction site.

Etomidate vs propofol in coronary heart disease patients undergoing major noncardiac surgery:A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND The ideal depth of general anesthesia should achieve the required levels of hypnosis,analgesia,and muscle relaxation while minimizing physiologic responses to awareness.The choice of anesthetic strategy in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)undergoing major noncardiac surgery is becoming an increasingly important issue as the population ages.This is because general anesthesia is associated with a risk of perioperative cardiac complications and death,and this risk is much higher in people with CHD.AIM To compare hemodynamic function and cardiovascular event rate between etomidate-and propofol-based anesthesia in patients with CHD.METHODS This prospective study enrolled consecutive patients(American Society of Anesthesiologists grade II/III)with stable CHD(New York Heart Association class I/II)undergoing major noncardiac surgery.The patients were randomly allocated to receive either etomidate/remifentanil-based or propofol/remifentanil-based general anesthesia.Randomization was performed using a computer-generated random number table and sequentially numbered,opaque,sealed envelopes.Concealment was maintained until the patient had arrived in the operating theater,at which point the consulting anesthetist opened the envelope.All patients,data collectors,and data analyzers were blinded to the type of anesthesia used.The primary endpoints were the occurrence of cardiovascular events(bradycardia,tachycardia,hypotension,ST-T segment changes,and ventricular premature beats)during anesthesia and cardiac troponin I level at 24 h.The secondary endpoints were hemodynamic parameters,bispectral index,and use of vasopressors during anesthesia.RESULTS The final analysis included 40 patients in each of the propofol and etomidate groups.The incidences of bradycardia,hypotension,ST-T segment changes,and ventricular premature beats during anesthesia were significantly higher in the propofol group than in the etomidate group(P<0.05 for all).The incidence of tachycardia was similar between the two groups.Cardiac troponin I levels were comparable between the two groups both before the induction of anesthesia and at 24 h after surgery.When compared with the etomidate group,the propofol group had significantly lower heart rates at 3 min after the anesthetic was injected(T1)and immediately after tracheal intubation(T2),lower systolic blood pressure at T1,and lower diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure at T1,T2,3 min after tracheal intubation,and 5 min after tracheal intubation(P<0.05 for all).Vasopressor use was significantly more in the propofol group than in the etomidate group during the induction and maintenance periods(P<0.001).CONCLUSION In patients with CHD undergoing noncardiac major surgery,etomidate-based anesthesia is associated with fewer cardiovascular events and smaller hemodynamic changes than propofol-based anesthesia.

Eff ects of continuous renal replacement therapy on infl ammation-related anemia, iron metabolism and prognosis in sepsis patients with acute kidney injury

BACKGROUND:This study aims to evaluate the eff ect of continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT)on inflammation-related anemia,iron metabolism,and the prognosis in sepsis patients with acute kidney injury(AKI).METHODS:Sepsis patients with AKI were prospectively enrolled and randomized into the CRRT and control groups.The clinical and laboratory data on days 1,3 and 7 after intensive care unit(ICU)admission were collected.The serum interleukin(IL)-6,hepcidin,erythropoietin,ferritin,and soluble transferrin receptor(sTfR)were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)score and 28-day mortality were recorded.Data were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test(categorical variables),and Mann-Whitney U-test or t-test(continuous variables).RESULTS:The hemoglobin and serum erythropoietin levels did not signifi cantly diff er between the CRRT and control groups though gradually decreased within the first week of ICU admission.On days 3 and 7,the serum IL-6,hepcidin,ferritin,and red blood cell distribution width significantly decreased in the CRRT group compared to the control group(all P<0.05).On day 7,the serum iron was significantly elevated in the CRRT group compared to the control group(P<0.05).However,the serum sTfR did not signifi cantly diff er between the groups over time.In addition,the SOFA scores were signifi cantly lower in the CRRT group compared to the control group on day 7.The 28-day mortality did not signifi cantly diff er between the control and CRRT groups(38.0%vs.28.2%,P=0.332).CONCLUSION:CRRT might have beneficial effects on the improvement in inflammationrelated iron metabolism and disease severity during the fi rst week of ICU admission but not anemia and 28-day mortality in sepsis patients with AKI.

Identification of antimalarial targets of chloroquine by a combined deconvolution strategy of ABPP and MS-CETSA

Background: Malaria is a devastating infectious disease that disproportionally threatens hundreds of millions of people in developing countries. In the history of anti-malaria campaign, chloroquine(CQ) has played an indispensable role, however, its mechanism of action(MoA) is not fully understood.Methods: We used the principle of photo-affinity labeling and click chemistry-based functionalization in the design of a CQ probe and developed a combined deconvolution strategy of activity-based protein profiling(ABPP) and mass spectrometry-coupled cellular thermal shift assay(MS-CETSA) that identified the protein targets of CQ in an unbiased manner in this study. The interactions between CQ and these identified potential protein hits were confirmed by biophysical and enzymatic assays.Results: We developed a novel clickable, photo-affinity chloroquine analog probe(CQP) which retains the antimalarial activity in the nanomole range, and identified a total of 40 proteins that specifically interacted and photocrosslinked with CQP which was inhibited in the presence of excess CQ. Using MS-CETSA, we identified 83 candidate interacting proteins out of a total of 3375 measured parasite proteins. At the same time, we identified 8 proteins as the most potential hits which were commonly identified by both methods.Conclusions: We found that CQ could disrupt glycolysis and energy metabolism of malarial parasites through direct binding with some of the key enzymes, a new mechanism that is different from its well-known inhibitory effect of hemozoin formation. This is the first report of identifying CQ antimalarial targets by a parallel usage of labeled(ABPP)and label-free(MS-CETSA) methods.

Degradation of differently processed Mg-based implants leads to distinct foreign body reactions(FBRs)through dissimilar signaling pathways

Mg alloys have mechanical properties compatible with human bones.However,their rapid degradation and associated foreign body reactions in vivo significantly limit their application for human implants.In this study,three differently processed Mg alloys,pure Mg(PM),cold extruded Mg alloy AZ31(CE AZ31),and fully annealed AZ31 Mg alloy(FA AZ31)were comparatively investigated for their potential as implants using a rat model.All three implanted Mg alloys do not show any impact on hepato-and renal function,nor any signs of observable changes to vital organs.Proteomics analysis of tissues directly contacting the implants 2.5 months post implantation revealed that FA AZ31 activates very few inflammation and immune associated signaling pathways;while the CE AZ31 and PM produce more significant inflammatory responses as confirmed by cytokine array analyses.Further,FA AZ31 activated pathways for cell organization and development that may improve the recovery of injured tissues.Structurally,EBSD analysis reveals that the FA AZ31 alloy has a higher ratio of first-order pyramidal orientated(10–11){10–1–2}grain texture with a value of 0.25,while PM and CE AZ31 alloys have lower ratios of first-order pyramidal orientated texture with the values of 0.16 and 0.17,respectively.This is associated with recovery and recrystallisation during annealing which promotes grain texture which exhibits enhanced degradation behaviours and induces a more limited immune response in vivo.In conclusion,the FA AZ31 demonstrated better biocompatibility and corrosion resistance and is a promising candidate for metal-based degradable implants which warrants further investigation.

Implication of Expression of Osteopontin and Its Receptor Integrin αvβ3 in the Placenta in the Development of Preeclampsia

To investigate the expression of osteopontin （OPN） and its receptor integrin αvβ3 in the placental tissue from pregnant women complicated with preeclampsia, the expression of OPN and αvβ3 in the placenta of the pregnant women with preeclampsia and healthy pregnant women was detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and RT-PCR. Our results showed that OPN and αvβ3 protein were expressed in the placenta from normal pregnant woman and those with preeclampsia. OPN was located in the placental syncytiotrophoblasts and the cytoplasm of capillary endothelial cells and integrin αvβ3 was mainly expressed on the surface of trophoblast cells. Expression of OPN and integrin αvβ3 in the placental tissue from preeclampsia subjects was significantly lower than that from the control group （P〈0.05）. Compared with the control group, expression of OPN in the placental tissue from preeclampsia group was significantly lower （P〈0.05） but there was no significant difference in the expression of αv and β3 between the preeclampsia group and the controls. It is concluded that OPN and its receptor integrin αvβ3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Diagnosis and management of acute complications in patients with colon cancer:bleeding,obstruction,and perforation

Among the colorectal cancers, the incidence of colon cancer has obviously increased. As a result, the actual incidence of colon cancer has exceeded that of rectal cancer, which dramatically changed the longexisting epidemiological profile. The acute complications of colon cancer include bleeding, obstruction, and perforation, which were among the common acute abdominal surgical conditions. The rapid and accurate diagnosis of these acute complications was very important, and laparoscopic techniques can be applied in abdominal surgery for management of the complications.

Three-year follow-up of Coats disease treated with conbercept and 532-nm laser photocoagulation

BACKGROUND Coats disease is an idiopathic exudative outer retinopathy caused by abnormalretinal vascular development.AIM To evaluate the long-term outcomes of intravitreal conbercept injection with laserphotocoagulation as a treatment for Coats disease in adults.METHODS This retrospective case series study included patients diagnosed with Coatsdisease and treated with intravitreal conbercept injection and 532-nm laserphotocoagulation at the Ophthalmology Department of Shenzhen People’sHospital between January 2016 and January 2017. Best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA) measurements, noncontact tonometry, ophthalmoscopy, fundusphotography, fundus fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomographywere performed before treatment and at 1 wk, 1 mo, 3 mo, 6 mo, 9 mo, 12 mo, 24mo and 36 mo after therapy. Best-corrected visual acuity was measured using theearly treatment of diabetic retinopathy study chart.RESULTS The study included eight eyes of 8 patients (7 men) aged 36.10 ± 6.65 years. Theaverage BCVA of the affected eye before treatment was 51.17 ± 15.15 letters(range, 28–70 letters), and the average central macular thickness was 303.30 ±107.87 μm (range, 221–673 μm). Four eyes were injected once, three were injectedtwice, and one was injected three times. Average follow-up duration was 37.33 ±2.26 mo. Average BCVA of the affected eye was 51.17 ± 15.15 letters before treatment and was increased by 13.50 ± 3.20, 16.25 ± 7.73, 18.25 ± 8.96, 18.03 ± 5.27,18.63 ± 3.35, 19.75 ± 6.96, 18.05 ± 5.36 and 17.88 ± 3.45 letters at 1 wk, 1 mo, 3 mo, 6mo, 9 mo, 12 mo, 24 mo and 36 mo after treatment, respectively (P < 0.01). Thepatients showed varying degrees of subretinal fluid resorption after treatment.None of the patients had serious complications such as increased intraocularpressure, development/progression of cataracts, endophthalmitis or retinaldetachment.CONCLUSION Intravitreal injection of conbercept combined with 532-nm laser photocoagulationmay be a feasible treatment for Coats disease in adult patients.

Downregulation of SNRPG induces cell cycle arrest and sensitizes human glioblastoma cells to temozolomide by targeting Myc through a p53-dependent signaling pathway

Objective:Temozolomide(TMZ)is commonly used for glioblastoma multiforme(GBM)chemotherapy.However,drug resistance limits its therapeutic effect in GBM treatment.RNA-binding proteins(RBPs)have vital roles in posttranscriptional events.While disturbance of RBP-RNA network activity is potentially associated with cancer development,the precise mechanisms are not fully known.The SNRPG gene,encoding small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide G,was recently found to be related to cancer incidence,but its exact function has yet to be elucidated.Methods:SNRPG knockdown was achieved via short hairpin RNAs.Gene expression profiling and Western blot analyses were used to identify potential glioma cell growth signaling pathways affected by SNRPG.Xenograft tumors were examined to determine the carcinogenic effects of SNRPG on glioma tissues.Results:The SNRPG-mediated inhibitory effect on glioma cells might be due to the targeted prevention of Myc and p53.In addition,the effects of SNRPG loss on p53 levels and cell cycle progression were found to be Myc-dependent.Furthermore,SNRPG was increased in TMZ-resistant GBM cells,and downregulation of SNRPG potentially sensitized resistant cells to TMZ,suggesting that SNRPG deficiency decreases the chemoresistance of GBM cells to TMZ via the p53 signaling pathway.Our data confirmed that SNRPG suppression sensitizes GBM cells to TMZ by targeting Myc via the p53 signaling cascade.Conclusions:These results indicated that SNRPG is a probable molecular target of GBM and suggested that suppressing SNRPG in resistant GBM cells might be a substantially beneficial method for overcoming essential drug resistance.

A Prospective Randomized Trial of Selective versus Nonselective Esophagogastric Devascularization for Portal Hypertension

Cirrhosis with portal hypertension is a common disease which has a significant impact on the quality of patients＇ life. Esophagogastric devascularization（EGDV） has been demonstrated to be an effective method to treat portal hypertension, however certain complications are associated with it. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and clinical outcome of the selective EGDV（sEGDV） for the treatment of portal hypertension. The study was conducted prospectively from Jan. 1 2011 to Dec. 31, 2012, and 180 patients were randomized to the sEGDV group（n=90） or the non-sEGDV（n-sEGDV） group（n=90）. Patients＇ demographics, preoperative lab test results and operative details were comparable between the two groups. Postoperative and short-term complications were analyzed in two groups. There was statistically significant difference（P〈0.01） in the PVF reduction between the two groups. Post-operative complications showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of bleeding, ascites, acute portal vein thrombosis, fever and hepatic encephalopathy. Mortality between two groups was comparable. The incidence of splenic fossa effusion after the surgery was lower in sEGDV group than in n-sEGDV group. There were no significant differences in the short-term follow-up data such as esophageal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy（P〉0.05）. It is suggested that sEGDV is a safe, simple and effective surgical procedure. It has both the advantages of the shunt and devascularization because it preserves body＇s voluntary diversion. With the advantage of low incidence of postoperative complications, it is an ideal surgical approach for the treatment of portal hypertension.

Comparison of Mitoxantrone in Combination with Intermediate-dose Cytarabine versus High-dose Cytarabine as Consolidation Therapies for Young Non-APL Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients with Favorable and Intermediate Cytogenetics

In this study,we compared the efficacy of mitoxantrone in combination with intermediate-dose cytarabine（HAM） with that of high-dose cytarabine alone（Hi DAC） as consolidation regimens in non-acute promyelocytic leukemia（APL） acute myeloid leukemia patients with favorable and intermediate cytogenetics.A total of 62 patients from Shenzhen People＇s Hospital were enrolled in this study.All patients enrolled received standard induction chemotherapy and achieved the first complete remission（CR1）.In these patients,24 received Hi DAC and 38 received HAM as consolidation.The median relapse free survival（RFS） and overall survival（OS） were similar between these two consolidation regimens.Even in subgroup analysis according to risk stratification,the combination regimen conferred no benefit in longterm outcome in patients with favorable or intermediate cytogenetics.However,in patients receiving HAM regimen,the lowest neutrophil count was lower,neutropenic period longer,neutropenic fever rate higher,and more platelet transfusion support was required.HAM group also tended to have higher rate of sepsis than Hi DAC group.According to our results,we suggest that combination treatment with mitoxantrone and intermediate-dose cytarabine has limited value as compared to Hi DAC,even in young non-APL AML patients with favorable and intermediate cytogenetics.

Analysis of hippocampal gene expression profile of Alzheimer's disease model rats using genome chip bioinformatics

In this study, an Alzheimer＇s disease model was established in rats through stereotactic injection of condensed amyloid beta 1-40 into the bilateral hippocampus, and the changes of gene expression profile in the hippocampus of rat models and sham-operated rats were compared by genome expression profiling analysis. Results showed that the expression of 50 genes was significantly up-regulated （fold change 〉 2）, while 21 genes were significantly down-regulated in the hippocampus of Alzheimer＇s disease model rats （fold change 〈 0.5） compared with the sham-operation group. The differentially expressed genes are involved in many functions, such as brain nerve system development, neuronal differentiation and functional regulation, cellular growth, differentiation and apoptosis, synaptogenesis and plasticity, inflammatory and immune responses, ion channels/transporters, signal transduction, cell material/energy metabolism. Our findings indicate that several genes were abnormally expressed in the metabolic and signal transduction pathways in the hippocampus of amyloid beta 1 40-induced rat model of Alzheimer＇s disease, thereby affecting the hippocampal and brain functions.

Collision tumor of squamous cell carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma in the head and neck:A case report

BACKGROUND There are many disputes about the definition,diagnosis,therapy,and prognosis of collision tumors.CASE SUMMARY We describe a rare patient with a collision tumor consisting of neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC)and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus.She received operation,concurrent chemoradiotherapy,and then two cycles of palliative chemotherapy.Follow-up at 12 mo after diagnosis showed that this patient experienced a complete response with no signs of recurrence or metastasis.A literature review of previous 26 cases diagnosed with collision tumor of NEC and SCC in the head and neck was also undertaken.CONCLUSION It is challenging to manage collision tumors because there are two morphologically and etiologically distinct tumors.Well-designed multimodality therapy including surgery and chemoradiotherapy might lead to a long survival in these patients.

Outcomes of chronic angle-closure glaucoma treated by phacoemulsification and endocyclophotocoagulation with or without endoscopically goniosynechialysis

AIM:To investigate the surgical outcomes of patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma(CACG)treated with phacoemulsification(phaco)/endocyclophotocoagulation(ECP)with and without endoscopic goniosynechialysis(E-GSL).METHODS:A retrospective,nonrandomized,comparative case series was conducted.Patients with CACG who underwent phaco in combination with either ECP alone(ECP group)or GSL with ECP(E-GSL group)from 2018 to 2019 were followed for 12mo and reviewed.Clinical features and outcomes were identified and analyzed.The ECP and E-GSL groups were matched in age and baseline intraocular pressure(IOP).Changes in IOP,mean of visual acuity(VA),peripheral anterior synechiae(PAS)formation,and the number of glaucoma medications was examined.RESULTS:The ECP group included 32 eyes of 27 patients,and the E-GSL group included 32 eyes of 26 patients.The preoperative baseline IOP was 22.18±6.48 mm Hg in the ECP group and 22.95±6.71 mm Hg in the E-GSL group(P=0.644).The mean IOP reduction was 26.2%in the ECP group and 41.6%in the E-GSL group at 12mo.The mean postoperative VA(log MAR units)at 12mo was 0.47 in the ECP group and 0.36 in the E-GSL group.The reduction in PAS formation and the number of glaucoma medications was also higher in the ECP group than E-GSL group at 12mo.CONCLUSION:The phaco/ECP and phaco/E-GSL groups both achieve a significant reduction in IOP without complications associated with traditional glaucoma filtration surgeries.

Intravascular treatment for abnormal catheter positioning of port-a-cath system in the subclavian vein:A single-center study

Objective:This study aimed to explore the incidence of abnormal catheter positioning and the effectiveness and safety of intravascular adjustment or removal of abnormally positioned catheters through percutaneous punctures.Materials and methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 58 patients with abnormal catheter positioning,treated between January 2009 and June 2019.Intravascular adjustment of the migrated catheters and removal of the fractured catheters were performed through percutaneous puncture using a pigtail catheter,cobra catheter,and gooseneck snare.Results:Of the 58 cases,there were 23 cases of catheter migration and 35 cases of catheter fracture.The incidence of abnormal catheter positioning was 3.0%,corresponding to 1.2%migrations and 1.8%fractures.Among the 23cases of migration,1 case did not require adjustment and another underwent unsuccessful adjustment.The rate of successful adjustment of migrated catheters was 91.3%,whereas the rate of successful removal of fractured catheters was 100%.No surgery-related complications were observed either immediately or during the 1-month follow-up period.Conclusions:This study showed that the incidence of abnormal catheter positioning is low.Intravascular techniques used for the adjustment or removal of abnormally placed catheters are safe,efficient,and minimally invasive.

Skin electrodes transduced signals to the bladder resulting in ameliorated hypomotility in a rabbit model of diabetes

Electric signals from a chest skin electrode can be conducted to the heart and activate contraction. In the present study, normal and diabetic rabbits were stimulated by skin electrode on the abnormal bladder projection area using three levels of exporting voltage （5.84 V, 8.00 V, and 11.00 V）. Results demonstrated significantly attenuated electric signals from both groups, in particular the diabetes group. The skin electrode signals were conducted to the bladders, and all vesical signals increased according to strength of stimulating signals from the skin electrode, However, vesical signals from diabetic rabbits were less than those from normal rabbits at the same stimulating strength of exporting voltage. Vesical pressures from the two groups increased along with increased vesical signals, but vesical pressure was less those from diabetic rabbits than in normal rabbits （basic status and different stimulating levels）. Linear correlation analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between vesical pressure and signal. These results demonstrated that electric signals from skin electrodes resulted in increased vesical pressure, and vesical pressure increased along with stimulation strength.

Role of the ultra-wide-field imaging system in the diagnosis of pigmented paravenous chorioretinal atrophy

Dear Editor,P igmented paravenous chorioretinal atrophy(PPCRA), which was first described by Hewiston-Brown in 1937, is a rare pigmentary retinopathy affecting the retina and choroid;most patients mainly manifest symmetrical retinal choroid in both eyes, except for a small number of patients with monocular manifestations[1].

Effect of aluminum phosphate gel on prevention of early rebleeding after ligation of esophageal variceal hemorrhage

BACKGROUND Liver cirrhosis is the main cause of portal hypertension.The leading cause of death in patients with liver cirrhosis is its most common complication,esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB).Endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL)is recommended by many guidelines to treat EVB and prevent rebleeding;however,esophageal ulcers occur after treatment.Delayed healing of ulcers and unhealed ulcers lead to high rebleeding and mortality rates.Thus,the prevention of early postoperative rebleeding is of great significance in improving the quality of life and prognosis of patients.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of aluminum phosphate gel(APG)plus a proton pump inhibitor(PPI)in the prevention of early rebleeding after EVL in patients with EVB.METHODS The medical records of 792 patients who were diagnosed with EVB and in whom bleeding was successfully stopped by EVL at Shenzhen People’s Hospital,Guangdong Province,China from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected.According to the study inclusion and exclusion criteria,401 cases were included in a PPI-monotherapy group(PPI group),and 377 cases were included in a PPI and APG combination therapy(PPI+APG)group.We compared the incidence rates of early rebleeding and other complications within 6 wk after treatment between the two groups.The two-sample t-test,Wilcoxon rank-sum test,and chisquared test were adopted for statistical analyses.RESULTS No significant differences in age,sex,model for end-stage liver disease score,coagulation function,serum albumin level,or hemoglobin level were found between the two groups.The incidence of early rebleeding in the PPI+APG group(9/337;2.39%)was significantly lower than that in the PPI group(30/401;7.48%)(P=0.001).Causes of early rebleeding in the PPI group were esophageal ulcer(3.99%,16/401)and esophageal varices(3.49%,14/401),while those in the PPI+APG group were also esophageal ulcers(5/377;1.33%)and esophageal varices(4/377;1.06%);such causes were significantly less frequent in the PPI+APG group than in the PPI group(P=0.022 and 0.024,respectively).The early mortality rate within 6 wk in both groups was 0%,which was correlated with the timely rehospitalization of all patients with rebleeding and the conduct of emergency endoscopic therapy.The incidence of adverse events other than early bleeding in the PPI+APG group(28/377;7.43%)was significantly lower than that in the PPI group(63/401;15.71%)(P<0.001).The incidence of chest pain in the PPI+APG group(9/377;2.39%)was significantly lower than that in the PPI group(56/401;13.97%)(P<0.001).The incidence of constipation in the PPI+APG group(16/377;4.24%)was significantly higher than that in the PPI group(3/401;0.75%)(P=0.002)but constipation was relieved after patients drank more water or took lactulose.In the PPI and PPI+APG groups,the incidence rates of spontaneous peritonitis within 6 wk after discharge were 0.50%(2/401)and 0.53%(2/377),respectively,and those of hepatic encephalopathy were 0.50%(2/401)and 0.27%(1/377),respectively,presenting no significant difference(P>0.999).CONCLUSION PPI+APG combination therapy significantly reduces the incidence of early rebleeding and chest pain in patients with EVB after EVL.

Expression of co-stimulatory molecules B7-2 and PD-L1 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Objective： To explore the roles of the expression of the co-stimulatory molecule, B7-2, and the co-inhibitory molecule, PD-L1, on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the mechanism of immunotolerance in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Methods： Thirty HBV infected patients in the immunoreactive phase and 20 patients in the immunotolerant phase were enrolled in the study, while 20 healthy volunteers were used as controls. RT- PCR and real-time PCR methods were used to detect the expression levels of B7-2 and PD-L1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in chronic HBV infected patients. Results： The B7-2 expression in irnrnunoreactive and immunotolerant patients was significantly lower than that in the controls （P all 〈 0.01 ）; B7-2 expression in immunoreactive patients was significantly lower than in immunotolerant patients （P 〈 0.01）. PD-L1 expression in irnmunoreactive patients and immunotolerant patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls （P all 〈 0.01）. The PD-L1/BT-2 ratios in immunoreactive and immunotolerant patients were significantly higher than that of the healthy controls （P all 〈 0.01）; the PD-L1/ B7-2 ratio was significantly higher in the immunoreactive patients than in the immunotolerant patients （P 〈 0.01）. Conclusion： In chronic HBV infection, changes in the expression of co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules imply a protective adjustment against the patient＇ s immune response that may result in increased immunotolerance and persistent HBV infection.

Chemical Composition, Proapoptotic and Antiosteoporosis Activities of the Essential Oil from the Aerial Part of <i>Alpinia officinarum</i>Hance

Background: Alpinia officinarum Hance is valued as an edible medicinal plant. The rhizome is widely reported to have anticancer activity whereas little information is available on the aerial part. This study investigates chemical composition, proapoptotic and anti-osteoporosis activities of essential oil from aerial parts of A. officinarum (APEO). Methods: In this study, APEO was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed using GC-MS. The inhibitive activity of 0 - 2.5 μL/mL. APEO was investigated using MTT assay, while in vivo effect was evaluated in nude mice. The cell cycle, apoptosis, Δψm and expression of proteins analyses influenced by 0 - 0.313 μL/mL APEO were detected by PI, Annexin V/PI, JC-1, and Western blot, respectively. Alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodules formation of rat osteoblasts with 0 - 0.156 μL/mL APEO were assayed using colorimetric method and alizarin red staining, respectively. Results: Total 45 constituents were identified accounting for 91.1% of APEO (sesquiterpene hydrocarbons for 44.4%). APEO significantly inhibited cancer cells growth in a dose-dependent manner. APEO also inhibited cancer growth in vivo. The percentage of S phase cells is up to 64.846% with 0.313 μL/mL APEO. The proportion of total apoptotic cells significantly increased to 79.6% at 0.313 μL/mL concentration. APEO treated cells accompanied with Bcl-2 and Δψm decrease, and caspase-3 and p53 upregulation. Furthermore, addition of APEO in rat osteoblasts led to a dose-dependent increase in ALP activity and formation of mineralized bone nodules. Conclusions: Our data suggest that APEO could be developed as an agent against human lung cancer and osteoporosis, especially cancer-induced bone loss.