Abstract Objective Since coronary artery lesions (CALs) are the most severe complication of Kawasaki disease (KD), clinically speaking, early prediction of CALs is crucial. The authors aimed to investigate the predictive value of C-reactive protein (CRP) in predicting CALs in KD patients. Methods KD patients were divided into the CALs group and the non-CALs group. The clinical and laboratory parameters were collected and compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors of CALs. The receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to determine the optimal cut-off value. Results 851 KD patients who met the inclusion criteria were studied, including 206 in the CALs group and 645 in the non-CALs group. Children in the CALs group had significantly higher CRP levels than the non-CALs group (p< 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that incomplete KD, male, lower hemoglobin, and higher CRP were independent risk factors for predicting CAL (all p< 0.05). The optimal cut-off value of initial serum CRP for predicting CALs was 105.5 mg/L, with a sensitivity of 47.57% and a specificity of 69.61%. In addition, KD patients with high CRP (≥105.5 mg/L) had a higher occurrence of CALs than those with low CRP (<105.5 mg/L) (33% vs 19%, p< 0.001). Conclusion The incidence of CALs was significantly higher in patients with high CRP. CRP is an independent risk factor for CALs formation and may be useful for predicting CALs in KD patients.

Abstract The meta-analysis on observational studies was conducted to explore the association of tea drinking with endometrial cancer (EC). The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched until August 2018. Altogether 19 works on tea drinking that involved 6,797 EC patients and 858,780 normal controls, including 10 case control and 9 cohort studies, were enrolled. The pooled relative risk (RR) of EC for the greatest tea consumption compared with the lowest level was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.94-1.04; I2 = 53%, p for heterogeneity = 0.005). In terms of study design, pooled RRs were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73-0.95) and 1.02 (95% CI: 0.96-1.08) for case-control and cohort studies, respectively. By study region, the pooled RRs were 1.01 (95% CI: 0.95-1.08) in Europe, 1.06 (95% CI: 0.94-1.20) in USA/Canada, and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.69-0.93) in Asia. By additional subgroup analysis, inverse association was shown in green tea (RR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.64-0.84) and black tea (RR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46-0.92). No difference was detected in smoking status or body mass index. To sum up, although tea does not have obvious protective effect against endometrial cancer, either black tea or green tea protects against EC. Moreover, Asian studies show that tea drinking protects against EC.

RESUMEN Objetivo: estudiar los posibles cambios en el perfil de pacientes con cronicidad avanzada entre dos cohortes en el momento de su inclusión en un equipo de soporte de atención paliativa domiciliaria (ESAPD) en el marco de la implementación de estrategias de cronicidad. Método: estudio observacional retrospectivo con enfoque analítico de pacientes no oncológicos derivados a un ESAPD de la Comunidad de Madrid, divididos en dos cohortes (2014 y 2019) definidas por el momento de inclusión en programa. Las variables principales fueron: tiempo de permanencia en programa (TPP), carga sintomática (CS) y situación funcional (SF). Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas y clínicas. Se comparó globalmente y por sexo el efecto de la cohorte (bruto y ajustado) sobre las variables principales mediante LogRank y Cox para el TPP, t-Student para la CS y SF y Modelo Lineal Generalizado para la SF. Resultados: las cohortes 2014 y 2019 constaron, respectivamente, de 98 y 116 pacientes, 63% y 52% de mujeres, 48% y 35% del ámbito rural y 43% y 27% de institucionalizados, con una media de edad y lugar de fallecimiento similares. En el TPP no se evidenciaron diferencias entre ambas cohortes (p=0,098); el análisis de Cox tampoco mostró asociación (HR = 1,01 [0,75; 1,36]). En la CS no se encontraron diferencias clínicamente relevantes. No se observaron diferencias en la SF una vez ajustada por las variables edad, sexo e institucionalización. Conclusión: no se observaron diferencias en el perfil de pacientes con cronicidad avanzada incluidos en el programa del ESAPD entre los años 2014 y 2019 en el marco de la implementación de estrategias de cronicidad.

ABSTRACT Objective: to study possible changes in the profile of patients with advanced chronic conditions between two cohorts at the time of their inclusion in a palliative-care-home care support team (PCHCST) in the framework of implementation of chronicity strategies. Method: A retrospective, observational analytical study was performed on non-oncological patients referred to a PCHCST in Madrid, divided into two cohorts (2014 and 2019) defined by the time of inclusion in the programme. The main variables were time spent in the programme (TSP), symptom burden (SB) and functional status (FS). Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected. The effect of the cohort (crude and adjusted) on the main variables was compared overall and by sex using LogRank and Cox for TSP, student t test for SB and FS and Generalized Linear Models for FS. Results: The 2014 and 2019 cohorts consisted respectively of 98 and 116 patients, 63% and 52% female, 48% and 35% rural and 43% and 27% nursing home residents, with similar mean age and place of death. For TSP, no statistically significant differences were detected between the two cohorts (P = 0.098); Cox analysis did not reveal any association either (HR = 1.01 [0.75; 1.36]). No clinically relevant differences were found for SB. No differences were observed for FS adjusted for age, sex and nursing home residence. Conclusion: No differences were observed in the profile of patients with advanced chronic conditions included in the PCHCST between 2014 and 2019 in the framework of implementation of chronicity strategies.

Summary Objective: To explore the correlation between growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) -3148C/G polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Han population of Taiyuan area. Method: The present study included 92 STEMI patients and 56 normal controls based on coronary angiography; STEMI group was divided into collateral group and non-collateral group according to Rentrop's grading method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing methods were used to detect and analyze the GDF-15 -3148C/G polymorphism in all participants. Results: There was significant difference in GDF-15 -3148C/G CC and GC distribution between STEMI group and control group (p=0.009); the allele frequencies between these two groups were also significant different (p=0.016); and the risk genotype for STEMI was CC with increased OR=2.660. For STEMI group, GDF-15 -3148C/G CC and GC distribution was also significantly different between patients with and without collateral (p=0.048), and CC genotype significantly promote the formation of collateral circulation. However, there were no significant differences in allele frequencies between these two subgroups of STEMI. Conclusion: There was correlation between GDF-15-3148C/G polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in patients with acute STEMI.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the isolation, culture process of chicken gonadal primordial germ cells (PGCs) and study their biological characterization. PGCs were harvested from 5.5-day-old chicken embryonic genital ridges and explanted onto chicken embryonic fibroblasts (CEFs). The results showed that the primary cultivation of chicken PGCs on their own gonadal stroma cells were better than CEFs at first two days for reproduction. The conditioned media supported the growth and colony formation of PGCs for a prolonged time in vitro and maintained a normal diploid karyotype, which were positively stained by alkaline phosphatase (AKP), periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and reacted with anti-SSEA-1, SSEA-3, Oct4, Blimp1 and Sox2. Real-time PCR showed that they expressed the stage specific genes CVH, Blimp1 and Dazl, the stem cell specific genes Sox2, Pouv and Nanog. They also formed the embryoid bodies (EBs). These results suggested that the chicken PGCs cultured in vitro not only had strong self-renewal ability, but also had the potential capability of multi-lineage differentiation.