Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation and laparoscopic adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism: a meta‑analysis.

Objective: To compare the efficacy (including blood pressure, medication reduction, serum potassium, and clinical success) and safety parameters (including operative time, length of hospital stay, blood loss, hypertension crisis rate, and complication rate) of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) in the treatment of primary aldosteronism (PA).

Methods: Literature search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library (Issue 8, 2023), Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang from inception to August 2023. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were performed by two independent reviewers.

Long-term venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for acute respiratory distress syndrome after COVID-19.

Introduction: Acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS) following coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a serious complication often causing irreversible lung injury associated with high mortality. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be initiated in severe cases. We present a case of ARDS following SARS-CoV-2 infection with prolonged duration ECMO (1045 hours, 44 days) without exchanging circuit throughout the whole duration without technical complication.

Molecular classification of human papilloma virus-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: Cell cycle-based classifier and prognostic signature.

The molecular classification of human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) remains questionable. Differentially expressed genes were detected between tumor and normal tissues and GSEA showed they are associated with cell cycle pathways. This study aimed to classify HPV-negative HNSCCs based on cell cycle-related genes.

Potential non-invasive biomarkers in tumor immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: response and prognosis prediction.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have dramatically enhanced the treatment outcomes for diverse malignancies. Yet, only 15-60% of patients respond significantly. Therefore, accurate responder identification and timely ICI administration are critical issues in tumor ICI therapy.

Long-Term Risk of Subsequent Malignant Neoplasms Among Childhood and Adolescent Lymphoma Survivors (1975-2013): A Population-Based Predictive Nomogram.

Background: Studies are needed to assess risk factors pertinent to the incidence of secondary malignancies among childhood and adolescent lymphoma survivors. We aimed to identify risk factors pertinent to the incidence of secondary malignancies and subsequently establish a clinically practical predictive nomogram.

Methods: A total of 5561 patients who were diagnosed with primary lymphoma below the age of 20 years between 1975 and 2013 and survived for at least 5 years were identified.

SEER-Based Survival Nomogram (1998-2015) Based on 'Stage, Lymph Node Dissection, Tumor Size and Degree of Differentiation, and Therapies' for Prognosis of Primary Pulmonary Sarcoma.

Primary pulmonary sarcoma (PPS) is very rare in terms of incidence, henceforth, the clinical evidence pertinent to the prognosis of PPS is limited. The aim of this study was to construct a nomogram for evaluating the overall survival (OS) of patients diagnosed with PPS based on the stage, lymph node dissection, tumor size and degree of differentiation, and therapies. A total of 515 patients diagnosed with PPS during the period of 1998 to 2015 were obtained from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database and randomly segregated into 'training group' and 'validation group' with a ratio of 7:3.

Novel Implications of Nanoparticle-Enhanced Radiotherapy and Brachytherapy: Z-Effect and Tumor Hypoxia.

Radiotherapy and internal radioisotope therapy (brachytherapy) induce tumor cell death through different molecular signaling pathways. However, these therapies in cancer patients are constrained by dose-related adverse effects and local discomfort due to the prolonged exposure to the surrounding tissues. Technological advancements in nanotechnology have resulted in synthesis of high atomic elements such as nanomaterials, which can be used as radiosensitizers due to their photoelectric characteristics.

APOE2 promotes the development and progression of subretinal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration via MAPKs signaling pathway.

Background: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nvAMD) is one of the main pathological features of wet AMD. Apolipoprotein E2 is involved in the formation of nvAMD but the molecular mechanism has not been reported.

Methods: The APOE alleles in AMD patients were detected by genotyping.

[Effectiveness of Xuebijing in treatment of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome: a Meta analysis].

Objective: To systematical evaluate the effect of Xuebijing injection in the treatment of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).

Methods: With the keywords including Xuebijing, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction and multiple organ failure, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine (CBM), VIP and Wanfang Data from the database start until March 4th, 2018 were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to Xuebijing injection combined conventional treatment versus conventional treatment alone for MODS. The control group received conventional western medicine treatment, including etiological treatment, antibiotics, mechanical ventilation, nutritional support, and comprehensive treatment to maintain fluid, electrolyte, acid and alkali balance.

Predictive tool for intravenous immunoglobulin resistance of Kawasaki disease in Beijing.

Objective: To construct a predictive tool for the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) in Beijing, China.

Design: This was a cohort study. Data set (including clinical profiles and laboratory findings) of children with KD diagnosed between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015 was used to analyse the risk factors and construct a scoring system.

Thrombospondin-2 predicts response to treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin in children with Kawasaki disease.

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) in assessing the response to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in children with acute Kawasaki disease (KD).

Methods: This was a cohort study with controls. 71 children with KD were recruited as the case group, including IVIG non-responder (n=17) and IVIG responder (n=54), and healthy children (n=27) and febrile children (n=30) were used as control groups.

The expression of ERK and JNK in patients with an endemic osteochondropathy, Kashin-Beck disease.

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a chronic, endemic osteochondropathy. Its etiopathogenesis is still obscure until now. Epidemiological observation has shown that low selenium play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of KBD.

Efficacy of Four Scoring Systems in Predicting Intravenous Immunoglobulin Resistance in Children with Kawasaki Disease in a Children's Hospital in Beijing, North China.

Objective: To evaluate the predictive efficacies of 4 existing scoring systems for intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance in Kawasaki disease (KD) in hospitalized children with KD in a children's hospital affiliated with the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.

Study Design: We retrospectively analyzed 1569 children with KD treated at our children's hospital between January 2010 and December 2015. Age, sex, clinical manifestations, and pretreatment hematologic indicators were recorded.

Association of nineteen polymorphisms from seven DNA repair genes and the risk for bladder cancer in Gansu province of China.

Background: Balance of DNA damage and proper repair plays an important role in progression of bladder cancer. Here we aimed to assess the associations of nineteen polymorphisms from seven DNA repair-associated genes (PRAP1, OGG1, APEX1, MUTYH, XRCC1, XRCC2 and XRCC3) with bladder cancer and their interactions in the disease in a Han Chinese population.

Methodology/principal Findings: A chip-based TaqMan genotyping for the candidate genes was performed on 227 bladder cancer patients and 260 healthy controls.

[A study of using dexmedetomidine in ventilator bundle treatment in an ICU].

Objective: To compare the sedative effect and safety of dexmedetomidine and midazolam in the intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing ventilator bundle treatment.

Methods: A prospective single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. Ninety patients receiving ICU ventilator-assisted therapy and ventilator bundle treatments for more than 3 days in the First Department of Critical Care Medicine of the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2013 to December 2014 were enrolled.

[Study of prevention and control of delirium in ventilated patients by simulating blockage of circadian rhythm with sedative in intensive care unit].

Objective: To explore the effect of giving sedatives according to the circadian rhythm in prevention of occurrence of delirium and the prognosis of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A prospective double-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. The patients admitted to Department of Critical Care Medicine of the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from July 2014 to February 2015, undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation over 12 hours were enrolled.

Plasma MASP-1 concentration and its relationship to recovery from coronary artery lesion in children with Kawasaki disease.

Background: This study investigated prognostic factors for early recovery of coronary artery lesion (CAL) in children with Kawasaki disease (KD).

Methods: Patients hospitalized for KD were enrolled less than 2 wk from the onset of illness and divided into two groups: KD with CAL and KD without CAL. The CAL group was further divided into two subgroups according to the degree of CAL: mild (n = 31) and moderate/severe (n = 6) and further divided into two subgroups according to the age: younger than 1 y (n = 9) and older than 1 y (n = 28).

Elevated Inducible Nitric Oxide Levels and Decreased Hydrogen Sulfide Levels Can Predict the Risk of Coronary Artery Ectasia in Kawasaki Disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a vasculitis disease in children that is associated with coronary artery ectasia (CAE). We investigated whether inducible nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) could be used to predict CAE secondary to KD. We enrolled 65 children with KD (35 cases with CAE and 30 cases without CAE), 33 healthy children, and 32 children with fever but without vasculitis disease (febrile group).

Depolymerization of Free-Radical Polymers with Spin Migrations.

The mechanism of depolymerization is one of the most essential issues in chemical engineering and materials science. In this work, we investigate the depolymerization reactions of three typical free-radical poly(alpha-methylstyrene) tetramers by using first-principles density functional theory. The calculated results show that these reactions all need to overcome the energy barriers in the range of 0.

Slippage in stacking of graphene nanofragments induced by spin polarization.

Spin polarization and stacking are interesting effects in complex molecular systems and are both presented in graphene-based materials. Their possible combination may provide a new perspective in understanding the intermolecular force. The nanoscale graphene structures with zigzag edges could possess spin-polarized ground states.

Early decreased plasma levels of factor B and C5a are important biomarkers in children with Kawasaki disease.

Background: The mechanisms underpinning Kawasaki disease (KD) are incompletely understood. There is an unmet need for specific biomarkers for the early diagnosis of KD.

Methods: Eighty-five KD patients suffering from acute-phase and subacute-phase KD, 40 healthy children, and 40 febrile children comprised the study cohort.