Intradialytic systolic blood pressure variation can predict long-term mortality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

International Urology and Nephrology - It is unclear which time-points of intradialytic blood pressure (BP) best predict prognosis. Thus, it is important to assess the association between different...     

Pyriform sinus fistula in children: A comparison of endoscopic-assisted surgery and endoscopic radiofrequency ablation

BackgroundPyriform sinus fistula (PSF) is a rare congenital anomaly, and the preferred definitive treatment is yet to be verified. In this study, we investigated the treatment outcomes of PSF specifically comparing endoscopic-assisted surgery and endoscopic radiofrequency ablation (RA).MethodsThe medical records of patients treated for PSF at the Shanghai Children's Hospital between October 2016 and September 2019 were retrospectively evaluated.ResultsThere were 93 girls and 98 boys. The median age at onset and operation was 3 years and 5 years, respectively. Endoscopic-assisted surgery was performed in 143 patients. During the same period, RA was performed in 48 patients, and 10 of them concurrently underwent incision and drainage of neck abscesses. Longer hospital stay was found in the endoscopic-assisted surgery group than in the RA group (10.50 ± 3.93 vs. 5.02 ± 3.30 days, P < 0.001). Postoperative complications were not significantly different between the two groups, except for neck infection (0 vs. 8.3%, P = 0.004). After a median follow-up period of 21 months, no significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of recurrence (1.4% vs. 0, P = 0.560).ConclusionPatients treated with RA had a significantly shorter hospital stay than those treated with endoscopic-assisted surgery. Outcomes of endoscopic-assisted surgery and RA were not significantly different for the management of PSF and treatment method should be tailored to the patient.Level of evidenceIV.     

Mechanism of Graft Damage Caused by NTPDase1-activated Macrophages in Acute Antibody-Mediated Rejection

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect and mechanism of macrophage activation and graft damage caused by nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (NTPDase1) in acute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR).MethodsAcute AMR was induced in different skin-grafted nude mouse models with wild-type NTPDase1 expression, transgene-enhanced NTPDase1 expression, or NTPDase1 gene knockout. Several methods (eg, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, high-performance liquid chromatography [HPLC], immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and luciferin/luciferase assays) were used to study (at the histologic and molecular levels) the extracellular adenosine diphosphate (ADP) concentration, macrophage proliferation, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen expression on the surface of macrophages, B-cell activating factor (BAFF) expression in the peripheral blood serum, and the total number of SmIg-positive B cells during acute AMR. The relative activity of NTPDase1 in B cells and epithelial cells, pathologic changes, and the incidence of positive C4d deposition around the capillaries of skin grafts on the different nude mice were studied.ResultsMacrophages proliferated significantly when acute AMR occurred. The higher the NTPDase1 expression level, the lower the extracellular ADP concentration, the expression of MHC class II antigens on the surface of macrophages, the expression of BAFF in the peripheral blood serum, and the total number of SmIg-positive B cells, indicating negative correlations. The relative activity of NTPDase1 in B cells and epithelial cells of the skin graft was different among the different mice. The higher the NTPDase1 expression level, the lower the degree of pathologic damage to the skin graft.ConclusionsImbalance in extracellular ADP degradation by NTPDase1 may promote macrophage activation, and activated macrophages may be an important cause of graft damage.     

An Environmental Dilemma for China During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Explosion of Disposable Plastic Wastes

Plastic pollution control has been on top of the political agenda in China. In January 2020, China announced a phased ban on the production and usage of various types of single-use plastics as a solution to environmental pollution problems. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 seems to be a new obstacle to the ban on single-use plastic products. To basically satisfied the daily necessities and contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 under the background of the regular epidemic prevention and control in China, online ordering, contactless delivery and wearing mask have become an important and feasible way of daily life. However, the unrestrained use of disposable plastic bags, lunch boxes and masks within the nationwide quarantine leads to hundreds of millions of plastics wastes every day. The potential environmental pollution caused by the use of disposable plastic products during the pandemic should arouse social concern. The Chinese government should manage environmental protection in parallel with anti-pandemic endeavors as the situation of the pandemic evolves.

     

步枪立姿射击稳定性的力学特征

射击运动技术是衡量运动员水平的关键，它对运动员姿态控制的稳定性有相当高的要求。本文以步枪立姿运动为例，分析其姿态控制的力学特征，运用运动稳定性原理，求得人体上躯干最佳姿态控制角，并论证了人体躯干长度，前臂长度对稳定性的影响。最后将理论结果与对一些国内外著名运动员实测参数比较分析，证明了理论结论与实际基本相符。     

RNA silencing: a conserved antiviral immunity of plants and animals

RNA silencing is a novel RNA-guided gene regulatory mechanism operational in a wide range of eukaryotic organisms from fission yeast, plants, to mammals. This article reviews the recent progress on aspects of RNA silencing that are related to its biological function as a conserved antiviral immunity of plants and animals, and highlights features of this novel antiviral response in invertebrate animals as compared to the known innate and adaptive immunities. Finally, we discuss evidence that suggests a natural antiviral role for RNA silencing in vertebrates as well as experimental approaches that may facilitate the identification of first mammalian viral suppressors of RNA silencing.     

Specific cerebellar reductions in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

Children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome commonly are found to have morphological brain changes, cognitive impairments, and elevated rates of psychopathology. One of the most commonly and consistently reported brain changes is reduced cerebellar volume. Here, we demonstrate that, in addition to the global cerebellum reductions previously reported, volumetric reductions of the anterior lobule and the vermal region of the neo-cerebellum in the mid-sagittal plane best differentiate children with the deletion from typically developing children. These results suggest that the morphological changes of specific portions of the cerebellum may be an important underlying substrate of cognitive impairments and increased incidence of psychopathology in this group.     

Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in the patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors

Objective To evaluate the long-term therapeutic effects of autologous peripheral blood st em cell transplantation (auto-PBSCT) on the treatment of hematological and soli d tumors. Methods Fifty-one patients were recruited in this auto-PBSCT study, in which several p otentially important parameters were studied including the optimal time for stem cell co llection, the dose of stem cell reinfusion, the time of hematopoietic reconsti tution, the disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), complication s related to transplantation, and maintenance chemotherapy after auto-PBSCT. Results After APBSCT, 3-year and 5-year survival rates of NHL were 83.3%; those of AM L were 74.7%; those of MM were 37.9% and 19%; those of ALL were 40% and 0% res pectively. Hematopoietic reconstitution was greatly promoted by granulocyte col ony stimulating factor (G-CSF). The mean time for patients’ neutrophil to reco ver up to &gt;0.5×10(9) /L after APBSCT was 11.14 days in the group of the patien ts receiving G-CSF in contrast to 17.6 days in the group receiving no G-CSF. The most common complications of transplantation were fever, liver dysfunction and hypokalaemia, which were curable. No death was due to transplantation related complications.Conclusion Comparing with conventional chemotherapy, our study suggests that auto-PBSCT i s a very important therapeutic option that can significantly improve the prognos is in the patients with hematological and solid tumors, especially in the patien ts with AML and NHL.     

庆大霉素前庭损害报警耳聋的实验研究

目的观察庆大霉素对前庭及耳蜗的损害。方法对肌肉注射庆大霉素（250mg·kg－1／d）连续3天和7天的两组豚鼠进行前庭和耳蜗功能与形态的观察。结果发现用药3天仅影响前庭,而用药7天则前庭和耳蜗均受损害,提示庆大霉素早期损害前庭的特点可以报警耳蜗的损害。结论因此,在应用庆大霉素过程中,发现前庭功能改变时,如能及时停药,可以避免耳聋的发生。