Abstract Introduction: Nutritional status can affect the treatment of hospitalized patients, and Malnutrition can even lead to death. However, the Nutritional status of patients with aplastic anemia (AA) is unclear. Objective: to assess the Nutritional status of aplastic anemia patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 24 kg/m2 (high BMI group) and BMI < 24 kg/m2 (low BMI group), and to compare the consistency between different Nutritional screening tools. Methods: patients with aplastic anemia hospitalized from January 2016 to December 2020 were collected. We used the combined index generated by Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Control Nutritional Status (CONUT) and Instant Nutritional Assessment (INA) to assess Nutritional status of patients with aplastic anemia. Kappa index was used to measure the consistency between different Nutritional screening tools. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of different Nutritional screening tools. Results: one hundred and ninety-five patients with aplastic anemia were enrolled. The overall prevalence of Malnutrition calculated by the combined index in patients with aplastic anemia was 51.3 %. The Malnutrition rates of patients in the low BMI group and high BMI group were 60.9 % and 38.8 %, respectively. The Malnutrition rates of very severe aplastic anemia (VSAA) patients, severe aplastic anemia (SAA) patients and ordinary patients were 76 %, 63.8 % and 45.1 %, respectively. Compared with the combined index, NRI had the highest consistency and area under the curve. Conclusions: the Nutritional status of patients with aplastic anemia was very poor; the more serious the disease, the worse the Nutritional status. Although the Malnutrition rate in the low-BMI group was higher than in the high BMI group, the Nutritional status of overweight or obese patients can not be ignored. NRI is the best tool for assessing the Nutritional status of patients with aplastic anemia.

Resumen Introducción: el estado nutricional puede afectar el tratamiento de los pacientes hospitalizados y la malnutrición puede incluso causar la muerte. Sin embargo, el estado nutricional de los pacientes con anemia aplásica (AA) no está claro. Objetivo: evaluar el estado nutricional de pacientes con anemia aplásica con índice de masa corporal (IMC) ≥ 24 kg/m2 (grupo de IMC mayor) e IMC < 24 kg/m2 (grupo de IMC inferior), y comparar la consistencia entre diferentes herramientas de cribado nutricional. Métodos: se recogieron datos de pacientes con anemia aplásica hospitalizados entre enero de 2016 y diciembre de 2020. El estado nutricional de los pacientes con anemia aplásica se evaluó utilizando un índice compuesto por el índice de riesgo nutricional (NRI), el índice de pronóstico nutricional (PNI), el índice de estado nutricional controlado (CONUT) y la evaluación nutricional instantánea (INA). El índice Kappa se utilizó para medir la coherencia entre los diferentes instrumentos de detección nutricional. Las curvas de características operativas de los sujetos (ROC) se utilizaron para evaluar el valor diagnóstico de las diferentes herramientas de detección nutricional. Resultados: un total de 195 pacientes con anemia aplásica fueron incluidos en el estudio. La prevalencia global de desnutrición calculada por el índice combinado en pacientes con anemia aplásica fue del 51,3 %. Las tasas de desnutrición de los pacientes en el grupo de bajo IMC y el grupo de alto IMC fueron 60,9 % y 38,8 %, respectivamente. Las tasas de desnutrición en pacientes con anemia aplásica muy grave (VSAA), anemia aplásica grave (SAA) y pacientes comunes fueron del 76 %, 63,8 % y 45,1 %, respectivamente. En comparación con el índice compuesto, NRI tiene la mayor consistencia y área bajo la curva. Conclusiones: el estado nutricional de los pacientes con anemia aplásica es muy deficiente; a mayor gravedad de la enfermedad, peor estado nutricional. Aunque la tasa de malnutrición en el grupo con bajo IMC es mayor que en el grupo con alto IMC, no se puede pasar por alto el estado nutricional de los pacientes con sobrepeso u obesidad. El NRI es la mejor herramienta para evaluar el estado nutricional de los pacientes con anemia aplásica.

ABSTRACT Intercropping has benefited the global agricultural sector in several ways. It is a critical farming practice for long-term productivity, agro-ecological improvement, land management, and land use. It is a well-known method to increase soil health and crop productivity. The impact of intercropping on the yield and production of maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) has been investigated at the leaf, stem, and root level. However, there is limited information about how to determine the best planting density for maize-soybean intercropping (MSI). The benefits and drawbacks of MSI are discussed in this review. Intercropping maize and soybean improves resource use, lodging resistance, and pest and weed control according to the existing research. Furthermore, soybean has low light use efficiency (LUE) and radiation use efficiency (RUE) due to the deep shade created by the maize canopy. As a result, more research is required to discover the optimal planting density to improve light and radiation efficiency.

Abstract Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a frequent complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is currently one of the primary causes of death in patients with this disease. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between PH and mortality in patients with SSc to verify trends in mortality in patients with SSc-associated PH. Methods: We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for published studies on SSc-associated PH from inception to May 2021. All cohort studies in which mortality and/or survival for SSc-associated PH were reported were included in the analysis. The outcome parameters were pooled and analyzed using a random-effects model via generic inverse-variance weighting in conventional and cumulative meta-analysis. Results: The literature search identified 1161 citations, and the full texts of 54 studies were examined. Sixteen articles, with a total of 7857 patients with SSc and 1140 patients with SSc-associated PH, were included in the metaanalysis. Patients with SSc-associated PH had a higher pooled risk of mortality than patients with SSc without PH (risk ratio = 3.12; 95% confidence interval: [2.44, 3.98]). Conclusions: This meta-analysis revealed a higher mortality in patients with SSc-associated PH. PH was a significant predictor of death in patients with SSc. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of PH are important in patients with SSc.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar o efeito do procedimento FOCUS-PDCA na habilidade de autocuidado de pacientes submetidos a colostomia por câncer retal. Método: Um ensaio clínico não randomizado com 160 pacientes com câncer retal submetidos a colostomia. O grupo controle recebeu intervenção de enfermagem de rotina, e o grupo observação recebeu o procedimento FOCUS-PDCA. A capacidade de autocuidado dos dois grupos foi investigada por 1 semana e 1 mês após a cirurgia, e foi feita uma análise comparativa entre os grupos. Resultados: Em uma semana após a cirurgia a capacidade de autocuidado de pacientes com câncer retal com colostomia aumentou de 39,09 pontos antes da implementação do procedimento FOCUS-PDCA para 60,15 pontos após a implementação; um aumento de 21,06%. Em um mês após a cirurgia, a capacidade de autocuidado aumentou de 61,50 pontos para 83,13 pontos após a implantação do procedimento FOCUS-PDCA; um aumento de 21,63%. Conclusão: A aplicação do procedimento FOCUS-PDCA melhorou a capacidade de autocuidado de pacientes com câncer retal submetidos a colostomia, melhorou sua saúde física e mental, reduziu as complicações da colostomia e melhorou sua qualidade de vida. Os resultados sugerem que vale a pena aplicar o FOCUS-PDCA de forma mais ampla.

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the effect of the FOCUS-PDCA procedure on the self-care ability of patients undergoing colostomy for rectal cancer. Method: A nonrandomized controlled trial of 160 patients with rectal cancer undergoing colostomy. The control group received routine nursing intervention, and the observation group received the FOCUS-PDCA procedure. The self-care ability of the two groups was investigated 1 week and 1 month after surgery, and a comparative analysis was made between the groups. Results: One week after surgery, the self-care ability of rectal cancer patients with colostomy increased from 39.09 points before implementation of the FOCUS-PDCA procedure to 60.15 points after implementation; an increase of 21.06%. One month after surgery, the self-care ability increased from 61.50 points to 83.13 points after implementation of the FOCUS-PDCA procedure; an increase of 21.63%. Conclusion: Application of the FOCUS-PDCA procedure improved the self-care ability of rectal cancer patients undergoing colostomy, improved their physical and mental health, reduced colostomy complications, and improved their quality of life. The results suggest that it is worth applying FOCUS-PDCA more widely.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Investigar el efecto del procedimiento FOCUS-PDCA sobre la capacidad de autocuidado de pacientes sometidos a colostomia por cáncer de recto. Método: Un ensayo controlado no aleatorizado de 160 pacientes con cáncer de recto sometidos a colostomia. El grupo de control recibió una intervención de enfermería de rutina y el grupo de observación recibió el procedimiento FOCUS-PDCA. La capacidad de autocuidado de los dos grupos se investigó 1 semana y 1 mes después de la cirugía, y se realizó un análisis comparativo entre los grupos. Resultados: En una semana después de la cirugía la capacidad de autocuidado de los pacientes con cáncer de recto con colostomía aumentó de 39,09 puntos antes de la implementación del procedimiento FOCUS-PDCA a 60,15 puntos después de la implementación; un aumento del 21,06%. En un mes después de la cirugía, la capacidad de autocuidado aumentó de 61,50 puntos a 83,13 puntos después de la implementación del procedimiento FOCUS-PDCA; un aumento del 21,63%. Conclusión: La aplicación del procedimiento FOCUS-PDCA mejoró la capacidad de autocuidado de los pacientes con cáncer de recto sometidos a colostomía, mejoró su salud física y mental, redujo las complicaciones de la colostomía y mejoró su calidad de vida. Los resultados sugieren que vale la pena aplicar FOCUS-PDCA de manera más amplia.

Not much is known about the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) for chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this study, we included CKD patient cohorts and normal controls as a discovery cohort to identify putative lncRNA biomarkers associated with CKD. We first compared the lncRNA expression profiles of CKD patients with normal controls, and identified differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs. Co-expression network based on the enriched differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs was constructed using WGCNA to identify important modules related to CKD. A lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA pathway network based on the hub lncRNAs and mRNAs, related miRNAs, and overlapping pathways was further constructed to reveal putative biomarkers. A total of 821 significantly differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs were screened between CKD and control samples, which were enriched in nine modules using weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), especially brown and yellow modules. Co-expression network based on the enriched differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs in brown and yellow modules uncovered 7 hub lncRNAs and 53 hub mRNAs. A lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA pathway network further revealed that lncRNAs of HCP5 and NOP14-AS1 and genes of CCND2, COL3A1, COL4A1, and RAC2 were significantly correlated with CKD. The lncRNAs of NOP14-AS1 and HCP5 were potential prognostic biomarkers for predicting the risk of CKD.

Sarcopenia remains poorly managed in clinical practice due to the lack of simple and accurate screening tools. This study aimed to identify the cutoff values of the SARC-F questionnaire and Ishii's score using the variables age, grip strength, and calf circumference in older inpatients in China to compare the accuracy of the two methods and to explore their predictive ability for adverse outcomes (rehospitalization, falls, fracture, and death). Hospitalized patients (n=138) aged ≥60 years were included. The accuracy of the two tools was evaluated using the reference diagnosis recommended by the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (assessing patients with measurements of muscle mass, handgrip strength, and usual gait speed). Follow-up data were obtained by telephone and clinical visits combined with the inpatient medical record system after discharge for at least one year. The results showed that the SARC-F score reached the highest Youden's index when a score of 3 was set as the cutoff value. Ishii's score presented a higher accuracy than SARC-F (area under the receiver operating curve: 0.78 vs 0.64, P=0.01). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a higher cumulative incidence of rehospitalization in sarcopenic individuals compared to non-sarcopenic individuals according to SARC-F (log-rank test, P<0.001). Cox analysis revealed that SARC-F was an independent risk factor for rehospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio: 4.23, 95%CI: 2.12-9.79, P<0.001). The SARC-F and Ishii's scores might facilitate the early detection of sarcopenia and help identify older adults at risk for adverse outcomes in clinical practice.

Background and aim: To improve the diagnostic rate of gastric lymphoma by analyzing clinical and endoscopic features of patients with gastric lymphoma and suspected gastric lymphoma. Methods: Clinical and endoscopic records of 35 patients with gastric lymphoma (positive group) and 133 patients with suspected gastric lymphoma but subsequent non-malignant pathology (negative group) were analyzed retrospectively. Data from another 99 gastric lymphoma patients with malignant pathology but nonspecific endoscopy (endoscopy non-suspect group) were analyzed. Results: Abdominal pain was the predominant symptom reported in both the positive and negative lymphoma groups, representing 60.0 and 52.5%, respectively. No significant differences in age, sex and clinical manifestations in subjects from the two groups were found. In the positive group, 54.3% were ulcerative; 34.3%, infiltrative; 8.5%, polypoid; and 2.9%, granulonodular. In the negative group, 52.6% were infiltrative; 42.1%, ulcerative; 4.5%, granulonodular; and 0.75%, polypoid. The endoscopic results varied between the two groups (p < 0.05). In the non-suspect group, 66.7% were ulcerative; 17.2%, infiltrative; 14.1%, polypoid; and 2.0%, granulonodular. With regards to histology, diffuse large B cell lymphoma was the most common subtype. The sensitivity of endoscopy was 60% for detecting malignancy and 21% for gastric lymphoma. Conclusion: The present study suggests that gastric lymphoma and suspected gastric lymphoma have similar clinical features. Gastric lymphoma presented mainly as macroscopic ulcerative lesions, whereas suspected gastric lymphoma appeared mainly as infiltrative lesions. Although the diagnostic rate of gastric lymphoma was relatively low (21%), it can be identified by endoscopy (60%). To improve diagnosis, repetitive endoscopic biopsies should be performed and novel endoscopic techniques developed in the future.

Objective: To investigate the genome-wide promoter methylation and gene expression for the identification of methylation markers in obesity. Methods: Using a high-fat, diet-induced obese mouse model, we performed comprehensive DNA methylation profiling of gene promoters to determine the differentially methylated genes using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation followed by hybridization to the NimbleGen MM8 CpG plus Promoter Microarray. We further integrated epigenomics data with gene expression profiling to identify promoters exhibiting an association between methylation status and the expression of downstream genes. Results: A total of 24 hypermethylated promoters and 42 hypomethylated promoters in epididymal fat were selected as methylation markers, which were associated with downregulated and upregulated gene expression, respectively. The promoter methylation and differential gene expression of three markers (Mmp2, Foxj3 and Ube2q2) in the fat were validated by sequencing bisulfite-modified DNA and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. The genes with these differentially methylated promoters and the associated transcriptional expression in the fat were primarily involved in biological activities in lipid metabolism and storage, cellular differentiation, immunity and the pathogenesis of obesity-related complications. Conclusions: This study represents the first effort to determine methylation markers in obese mice that may regulate gene transcription in obesity. Our approach has potential relevance for clinical applications by identifying markers useful in elucidating the mechanisms of obesity pathogenesis and its complications.

Objetivo: Investigar la metilación pangenómica del promotor y la expresión génica para la identificación de los marcadores de metilación en la obesidad. Métodos: Empleando un modelo de ratón con obesidad inducida por la dieta con alto contenido en grasa, realizamos un perfil exhaustivo de la metilación del ADN de los genes promotores para determinar los genes metilados diferencialmente utilizando la inmunoprecipitación del ADN metilado seguida de la hibridación del NimbleGen MM8 CpG y el Promoter Microarray. Posteriormente, integramos los datos de la epigenómica con el perfil de expresión génica para identificar los promotores que mostraban una asociación entre el estado de metilación y la expresión de los genes sucesivos. Resultados: Se seleccionó un total de 24 promotores hipermetilados y 42 promotores hipometilados en la grasa epididimaria como marcadores de la metilación, que se asociaron con la expresión génica regulada al alza y a la baja, respectivamente. La metilación del promotor y la expresión génica diferencial de tres marcadores (Mmp2, Foxj3 y Ube2q2) de la grasa se validaron mediante secuenciación del ADN modificado por bisulfito y por PCR de la transcriptasa reversa en tiempo real. Los genes con estos promotores metilados de forma diferencial y la expresión transcripcional asociada en la grasa estaban implicados primariamente en las actividades biológicas del metabolismo y almacenamiento de los lípidos, la diferenciación celular, la inmunidad y la patogenia de las complicaciones relacionadas con la obesidad. Conclusiones: Este estudio representa el primer intento por determinar los marcadores de la metilación en los ratones obesos que pueden regular la transcripción génica en la obesidad. Nuestro abordaje tiene una relevancia potencial por sus aplicaciones clínicas al identificar marcadores útiles en la dilucidación de los mecanismos de la patogenia de la obesidad y sus complicaciones.

A wedge-shaped copper mold was used to fabricate micro quasicrystals(QCs). Stable Mg-Zn-Y-based nano-QCs were directly synthesized through this simple route instead of crystallization from metallic glasses or complicated forming processes at high temperature. The study showed that on the tips of the wedge-shaped ingots, the minimum diameter of nano-QCs approach to 4~6 nm. The main size of nano-QCs is about 10~30 nm. The maximum microhardness of QCs has been dramatically improved to about HV440 which increased by about 280% compared with that of the petal-like QCs fabricated under common cast iron mold cooling conditions. Possessing a certain negative enthalpy of mixing and existence of Frank-Kasper-type phases determined the formation of Mg-Zn-Y-based nano-QCs. The further electrochemical studies showed that Mg71Zn26Y2Cu1 nano-QC alloy possess high corrosion resistance in simulated seawater and its corrosion resistance is much better than those of the Mg72Zn26Y2 and Mg71Zn26Y2Cu0.5 Ni0.5 nano-QC alloys.