子宫内膜功能亢进性疾病的“异病同治”诊治研究思路＊

笔者根据现代临床子宫内膜的病理演变过程结合中医“异病同治”理念，提出“子宫内膜功能亢进性疾病”概念，涵盖5种常见的子宫内膜疾病：无排卵性异常子宫出血（Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Ovulatory dysfunction，AUB-O），子宫内膜息肉（Endometrial Polyp，EP），子宫内膜异位症（Endometriosis，EMs），子宫腺肌病（Adenomyosis，AM），子宫内膜癌（Endometrial Carcinoma，EC）。基于文献的汇总，分析得到此类疾病的子宫内膜病理演变与中医病因病机的关联性，为寻找关键通路、创新性治疗此类疾病提供了重要的参考方向，对深化中医妇科学常见疾病的共性病因病机提供了理论依据和探索思路。     

Vaccines and autoimmunity during the COVID-19 pandemic

To control the pandemic, efficient vaccines must be applied to the population, including patients with autoimmune diseases. Therefore, one can expect that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines may influence the underlying autoimmune processes in these patients. Additionally, it is essential to understand whether COVID-19 vaccines would be effective, safe, and provide long-lasting immunological protection and memory. However, the currently available and approved COVID-19 vaccines turned out to be safe, effective, and reliable in patients with autoimmune inflammatory and rheumatic diseases. Furthermore, most patients said they felt safer after getting vaccinations for COVID-19 and reported enhanced overall quality of life and psychological wellbeing. In general, the COVID-19 vaccines have been highly tolerated by autoimmune patients. Such findings might comfort patients who are reluctant to use COVID-19 vaccines and assist doctors in guiding their patients into receiving vaccinations more easily and quickly.     

Cataract Surgery in HIV Seropositive Patients: Long-Term Follow-Up

Purpose: To study epidemiology and clinical findings of cataract in HIV+ patients.

Methods: A total of 32 HIV+ patients, 11 with uveitis/retinitis before surgery and 21 without, mean follow-up 44.9 ± 36.6 months, and 114 HIV- patients, 57 with uveitis/retinitis before surgery and 57 without, were retrospectively compared.

Results: Visual acuity improved in all HIV+ patients (p < 0.001), who were younger (p = 0.01) and more frequently males (p = 0.027). HIV+ patients with uveitis prior surgery improved less (p = 0.046) than HIV- (p < 0.001); their anterior chamber inflammation was similar to baseline. Male sex (p = 0.005), younger age (p < 0.001), dyslipidaemia (p = 0.058), HBV+ (p = 0.037), and unilateral cataract (p = 0.001) were more frequent in HIV+ patients with senile cataract, but they showed the same postoperative course as HIV- patients.

Conclusion: Cataract surgery in HIV+ patients is safe and effective. Uveitis prior to surgery did not significantly affect the postoperative course. Systemic comorbidities are more frequent in HIV+ patients with senile cataract than in HIV- subjects.     

Use of autofluorescence and fluorescent probes as a potential diagnostic tool for oral cancer: A systematic review

IntroductionThe prognosis of patients with Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are directly related to the stage of development of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, but it is estimated an average delay in diagnosis of 2–5 months. New non-invasive techniques for the early diagnosis of OSCC are being developed, such as methodologies to detect spectral changes of tumor cells. We conducted a systematic review to analyze the potential use of autofluorescence and/or fluorescent probes for OSCC diagnosis.Material and MethodsFour databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science) were used as research sources. Protocol was registered with PROSPERO. It was included studies that evaluated tissue autofluorescence and/or used fluorescent probes as a method of diagnosing and/or treatment of oral cancer in humans.ResultsForty-five studies were selected for this systematic review, of which 28 dealt only with autofluorescence, 18 on fluorescent probes and 1 evaluated both methods. The VELscope® was the most used device for autofluorescence, exhibiting sensitivity (33%–100%) and specificity (12%–88.6%). 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) was the most used fluorescent probe, exhibiting high sensitivity (90%–100%) and specificity (51.3%–96%). Hypericin, rhodamine 6 G, rhodamine 610, porphyrin and γ-glutamyl hydroxymethyl rhodamine green have also been reported.ConclusionThus, the autofluorescence and fluorescent probes can provide an accurate diagnosis of oral cancer, assisting the dentist during daily clinical activity, but it is not yet possible to suggest that this method may replace histopathological examination.     

A guide to oral vaccination: Highlighting electrospraying as a promising manufacturing technique toward a successful oral vaccine development

Most vaccines approved by regulatory bodies are administered via intramuscular or subcutaneous injections and have shortcomings, such as the risk of needle-associated blood infections, pain and swelling at the injection site. Orally administered vaccines are of interest, as they elicit both systemic and mucosal immunities, in which mucosal immunity would neutralize the mucosa invading pathogen before the onset of an infection. Hence, oral vaccination can eliminate the injection associated adverse effects and enhance the person's compliance. Conventional approaches to manufacturing oral vaccines, such as coacervation, spray drying, and membrane emulsification, tend to alter the structural proteins in vaccines that result from high temperature, organic and toxic solvents during production. Electrohydrodynamic processes, specifically electrospraying, could solve these challenges, as it also modulates antigen release and has a high loading efficiency. This review will highlight the mucosal immunity and biological basis of the gastrointestinal immune system, different oral vaccine delivery approaches, and the application of electrospraying in vaccines development.     

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and neurological defects

Introduction and ObjectivesNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be considered one of the most common causes of liver disease in our days and is regarded as one of the newest vascular risk factors for cerebrovascular and other neurological diseases.Materials and methodsWe studied a group of neurological outpatients, divided into two homogenous groups based on the presence or absence of NAFLD.Results and conclusionsWe testified an independent relationship between NAFLD and common vascular risk factors (age, sex, educational level, BMI, cholesterol and lipid assessment, Hb1ac). At the same time, we ascertained an independent relationship between NAFLD and more recently recognized vascular risk factors, such as lack of folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D-OH25, and increased levels of homocysteine. Finally, we have documented that NAFLD showed worse executive and frontal functions, and behavioral changes, such as depressive mood and anxiety, and apathy.     

Long-term skeletal stability in the treatment of mandibular prognathism with a physiological positioning strategy

Our aim was to evaluate the long-term skeletal stability of the mandible in 21 patients after orthognathic surgery with physiological positioning. The measurement points SNB, B point (X, Y), Pog (X, Y), and the angle of the ramus were measured on cephalometric photographs to assess skeletal stability preoperatively, immediately after operation, and one and two years postoperatively. In addition, we evaluated the clinical symptoms of disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The analysis of the cephalometric photographs showed that SNB, B point X, and Pog X showed no significant differences among the postoperative time points. On the other hand, B point Y and Pog Y showed no significant differences throughout the study period. We compared the angle of the ramus before operation and two years postoperatively, and no significant difference was found. In addition, no cases showed any pathological symptoms of disorders of the TMJ two years postoperatively. The long-term stability after orthognathic surgery with physiological positioning was confirmed, and it seems to be a reliable orthognathic treatment in patients with mandibular prognathism.     

Tedium vitae in stroke survivors: a comparative cross-sectional study

Objectives: Suicide is best studied by deconstructing the psychological experiences preceding suicidal death. We assessed the characteristics of tedium vitae (feeling tired of life) after first ever stroke in Nigerian survivors.

Methods: Using the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, tedium vitae was assessed in 130 stroke survivors attending rehabilitation in a large Nigerian university hospital. Global cognitive and executive dysfunctions were evaluated, respectively, using the Mini Mental State Examination and the modi?ed Indiana University Token test. All participants had their index stroke 3 to 24 months before recruitment into the study. We also examined a comparative group of 130 age, gender, and education matched apparently normal persons who were unrelated to the stroke survivors. Associations were explored using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results: Tedium vitae was experienced by 16 (12.3%) stroke survivors compared with 5 (3.9%) in the comparative group (O. R = 3.5, 95% C. I = 1.3–9.9, p = 0.018). Among stroke survivors, those who were retired were more likely to experience tedium vitae (56.2%, p = 0.045). In analyses adjusting for the effect of systemic hypertension, cognitive dysfunction, retirement and marital separation, there was a 3.5-fold increase in the odds of experiencing tedium vitae after surviving a stroke (O. R = 3.5, 95% C. I = 1.1–11.6, p = 0.042).

Conclusions: Tedium vitae is a common suicidal experience after stroke and may be among the earliest perceptible pointer to impending poststroke suicide. It is easy to assess and may be less costly to obtain an adequate sample size in studies aiming to understand the phenomenon of suicide in the stroke population.