Cardiac Denervation for Arrhythmia Treatment with Transesophageal Ultrasonic Strategy in Canine Models

Stellate ganglion (SG) modification has been investigated for arrhythmia treatment. In this study, transesophageal SG imaging and intervention were explored using a homemade 30F integrated focused ultrasonic catheter in healthy mongrel canines in vivo. Anatomic details of SGs were ultrasonically imaged and evaluated. SG had a heterogeneous echoic structure and characteristic profiles sketched by hyper-echoic outlines in an ultrasonogram. Left SGs in the experimental group were successfully ablated through the esophagus under ultrasonic guidance provided by the catheter itself. Two weeks after the ablation, the QT and QTc of the experimental group decreased compared with those of the sham group and at baseline (both p values < 0.001). Histologic examination revealed that left SGs were destroyed. No major complications were observed. This approach may be further explored as a method for ganglia remodeling evaluation and as a strategy of ganglia modification for arrhythmia and for other diseases.     

Two new bisamides from the leaves of Aglaia perviridis

Two new bisamides, aglaiamides A (1) and B (2), along with three known ones (3–5), were isolated from the leaves of Aglaia perviridis. Their structures were established on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analyses.     

Clinical analysis of peritoneal dialysis in the treatment of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis

Objective To observe the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) caused by lupus nephritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, or primary glomerulonephritis who were treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) and then withdrew PD because of renal recovery. Methods Data of the above patients were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were diagnosed as RPGN and received PD therapy in Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University from February 2009 to August 2018. The patients were divided into early withdrawal group (PD time≤183 days, n=24) and late withdrawal group (PD time＞183 day, n=24). The differences of clinical characteristics between the two groups were compared. The cumulative incidence of adverse events in both groups was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the risk factors influencing the prognosis of patients. Results Forty-eight RPGN patients were included. The median time of maintaining PD was 178(76, 378) days. Compared with the late withdrawal group, the patients in early withdrawal group had lower levels of urine volume, serum albumin and parathyroid hormone, and lower rates of gross hematuria and hypertension at the beginning of PD, and received higher rates of methylprednisolone impulse, combined immunosuppressive agents, and hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy (all P＜0.05). At the time of PD withdrawal, the levels of serum creatinine, serum calcium, serum albumin and parathyroid hormone in the early withdrawal group were significantly lower than those in the late withdrawal group (all P＜0.05). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that there was no significant difference in the cumulative survival of patients in both groups (log-rank test χ2=3.485, P=0.062). Cox regression analysis revealed serum creatinine≥209 μmol/L at the time of PD withdrawal was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis (HR=5.253，95%CI 1.757-15.702, P=0.003). Conclusions PD can be used for RPGN patients caused by lupus nephritis, ANCA-associated vasculitis and primary nephritis. Serum creatinine≥209 μmol/L at the time of PD withdrawal is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis.     

Craving-induced effects of different drug cues on persons abstaining from heroin

Background: The key factors of inducing drug cravings in persons abstaining from drug use remain a focus of addictions research. Given the accumulating evidences, the scope of cues investigated in the cue-reactivity paradigm has increased considerably. Yet, few studies have examined the effects of the intensity and endurance of different types of cues on their ability to induce craving. This study investigated differences among drug-cue words, negative physiological-cue words, and negative social-cue words in the induction of drug cravings among persons abstaining from heroin.

Methods: The sample consisted of 149 male abstinent heroin abusers from four addiction rehabilitation centers in China. Based on their abstinence lengths, they were labeled as short-term, medium-term, and long-term abstainer participants respectively. All participants completed a stress-imagery task and rated craving by visual analog scale.

Results: There was a significant interaction of cue type and abstinence length. There was no difference on the craving induced by three types of cue words in the short-term group. In the medium-term group, craving induced by negative social-cue words was significantly stronger than that by negative physiological-cue words, but not that by drug-cue words. In the long-term group, the craving induced by negative social-cue words remained the strongest, significantly stronger than that by both drug-cue words and negative physiological-cue words.

Conclusion: Negative social-cue words presented in the current study retain the ability to induce craving in heroin abstainers; this finding suggests that negative social cues encountered under more general circumstances could be a risk factor for relapse.     

基于医院信息系统的乳腺癌临床特征及中西医用药特征分析

目的 解析真实世界中乳腺恶性肿瘤患者的人群特征、诊断特征、中西医用药特征，为乳腺癌的临床防治提供参考。方法 采集2002年2月至2015年5月全国60家三级甲等医 院信息系统（Hospital Information System，HIS）中，出院诊断为“乳腺癌”的患者用药信息，采用SAS9.3统计软件，对人口学信息、诊断信息、医嘱用药信息等进行描述性分析。结果 39798例乳腺癌患者，平均年龄（50.93者，平均年龄）岁；多以门诊入院，入院病情以“一般”为主;合并疾病主要为高血压，骨肿瘤，联用西药以抑制肿瘤细胞增殖、治疗并发症、缓解放化疗不良反应为主；中医辨证以痰瘀互结证，气阴两虚证，肝气淤滞证，脾气亏虚证型最为常见，临床清热解毒剂、益气扶正剂，活血化瘀剂应用较多。结论 乳腺癌中西医结合治疗，联用药物广泛，临床治疗基本符合临床指南。     

鼻塞式同步间歇正压通气(NIPPV)联合布地奈德雾化治疗新生儿急性呼吸窘迫综合征疾病的临床应用研究

目的:分析鼻塞式同步间歇正压通气(NIPPV)联合布地奈德雾化治疗ARDS(新生儿急性呼吸窘迫综合征)疾病的临床应用效果。方法:纳入病例是2017年5月—2019年11月收治的104例ARDS新生儿,随机平均分为两组。参照组52例采纳CPAP(持续气道正压通气通气)治疗,实验组52例采纳NIPPV+布地奈德雾化治疗,对比两组呼吸机通气时间、用氧时间、住院时间、血气指标以及并发症发生情况。结果:实验组呼吸机通气时间、用氧时间、住院时间均明显短于参照组,差异有统计学意义P<0.05;实验组治疗3 d后PaCO2明显低于参照组,实验组治疗3 d后PH以及PaO2明显高于参照组,差异有统计学意义P<0.05;实验组并发症发生率(3.85%,2/52)明显低于参照组(21.15%,11/52),差异有统计学意义P<0.05。结论:NIPPV+布地奈德雾化可有效缩短ARDS患者机械通气时间,改善血气指标,降低并发症发生率,值得借鉴。