ObjectiveTo investigate the application value of a predictive model constructed based on quantitative imaging parameters and serum tumor markers in predicting the postoperative prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma （PDAC）. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted among 146 patients with PDAC who underwent radical resection in Hebei Medical University Fourth Hospital from April 2020 to March 2023， and the patients were divided into a training set with 102 patients and a validation set of 44 patients at a ratio of 7∶3 using the completely randomized method. All patients underwent enhanced computed tomography （CT） and multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scans， and CT values in the arterial phase， the venous phase， and the delayed phase were recorded， as well as apparent diffusion coefficient （ADC） at b = 800 s/mm² and signal intensity （SI） of T₂ weighted imaging. The serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 （CA19-9） and carcinoembryonic antigen （CEA） were also measured. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted for survival analysis； the univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association of clinical and imaging indicators with prognosis； the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator （LASSO）-Cox regression model was used to identify the important influencing factors for prognosis， and a prognostic prediction model was constructed. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to analyze the predictive value of the model in predicting prognosis in both the training set and the validation set. ResultsThe Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed a median survival time of 33.00 months in the training set and 32.00 months in the validation set， with no significant difference between the training set and the validation set （P>0.05）. The univariate analysis showed that patient age， degree of tumor differentiation， lymph node metastasis， tumor stage， vascular invasion， CA19-9， CEA， ADC value， and SI value were significantly associated with the survival prognosis of patients （χ²=5.906， 13.116， 12.807， 17.277， 14.611， 7.275， 14.339， 9.506， and 13.137， all P<0.05）. The LASSO-Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that six factors were incorporated into the regression model， i.e.， tumor stage （HR=8.934， 95%CI： 3.215 — 21.562， P<0.001）， lymph node metastasis （HR=2.971， 95%CI： 1.298 — 5.647， P=0.002）， CA19-9 （HR=3.948， 95%CI： 1.758 — 8.994， P<0.001）， CEA （HR=1.965， 95%CI： 1.083 — 3.664， P=0.039）， ADC value （HR=2.873， 95%CI： 1.307 — 6.037， P=0.003）， and SI value （HR=3.107， 95%CI： 1.264 — 7.339， P=0.001）. The nomogram model constructed based on these factors had an area under the ROC curve of 0.845 （95%CI： 0.774 — 0.915） in the training set and 0.919 （95%CI： 0.870 — 0.967） in the validation set. ConclusionThe combined model of quantitative imaging parameters and serum tumor markers constructed based on LASSO-Cox regression can effectively predict the postoperative prognosis of PDAC patients， thereby helping to identify high-risk patients and guide decision-making for adjuvant therapy.

Objective To investigate the epidemiology of elderly respiratory tract infection (RTI) cases in a hospital in Xuzhou region from 2020 to 2022. Methods The cases of RTI patients in a hospital were screened from May 2020 to December 2022, and 548 cases that met the criteria were included in the study. Patient case data were analyzed for symptoms, pathogen distribution, and differences in patient distribution under different screening conditions (age, disease, and season). Results More than 90.00% of the included RTI patients presented with symptoms of cough, sputum, wet rales and pleural effusion was less common. The top three comorbidities were cardiovascular disease (153 patients, 27.92%), cerebrovascular disease (133 patients, 24.27%), and gastrointestinal disease (105 patients, 19.16%).All 548 elderly patients tested positive for respiratory pathogens (100.00%). There were 540 cases of single pathogen infection (98.54%) and 8 cases of mixed infection (1.46%). The top five single pathogen infections were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (92 cases, 16.76%), Escherichia coli (78 cases, 14.21%), drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (69 cases, 12.57%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (65 cases, 11.84%), and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (46 cases, 8.38%). The highest detection rate of respiratory pathogens was found in patients >90 years old, whose main pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The next highest rates of pathogen detection were found in patients aged 86-91 and 81-85 years, unlike patients >90 years, who had a higher rate of Escherichia coli detection. Unlike other age groups, patients <75 years old had a higher percentage of influenza B virus detection. The highest incidence of pneumonia was found in 45.62% (250 cases). Escherichia coli had the highest detection rate in acute bronchitis/episodes and pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus had the highest detection rate in wheezing bronchitis, Klebsiella pneumoniae had the highest detection rate in bronchopneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest detection rate in fever. The highest detection rate of pathogens was found in fall (36.50%), followed by spring (27.01%). The distribution of pathogen infections in all seasons was matched with the results of pathogenicity testing. Streptococcus oxysporus had the highest number of infections in the fall (χ²=20.33, P<0.001). Conclusion Elderly respiratory tract infections in this region are most common in patients over 90 years old, with the highest incidence of pneumonia and high incidence in fall, and the pathogens are mainly Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Attention to distinguish the above characteristics can provide some support for early diagnosis and treatment of respiratory infections in the elderly in this region.

Purpose: This Phase II trial was objected to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding fulvestrant to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)– locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the association of 16α-18F-fluoro-17β-fluoroestradiol (18F-FES) positron emission tomography (PET)–computed tomography (CT) and metabolites with efficacy. Materials and Methods: Fulvestrant and EC-T regimen were given to ER+/HER2– LABC patients before surgery. At baseline, patients received 18F-FES PET-CT scan, and plasma samples were taken for liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included total pathologic complete response (tpCR) and safety. Results: Among the 36 patients enrolled, the ORR was 86.1%, the tpCR rate was 8.3%. The incidence of grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events was 22%. The decrease in ER value in sensitive patients was larger than that in non-sensitive patients, as was Ki-67 (p < 0.05). The maximum standardized uptake value, mean standardized uptake values, total lesion ER expression of 18F-FES PET-CT in sensitive patients were significantly higher than those in non-sensitive patients (p < 0.05). Moreover, these parameters were significantly correlated with Miller and Payne grade and the change in ER expression before and after treatment (p < 0.05). Thirteen differential expressed metabolites were identified, which were markedly enriched in 19 metabolic pathways. Conclusion This regimen demonstrated acceptable toxicity and encouraging antitumor efficacy. 18F-FES PET-CT might serve as a tool to predict the effectiveness of this therapy. Altered metabolites or metabolic pathways might be associated with treatment response.

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) acts as an oncogene in liver cancer, yet its roles and in-depth molecular mechanisms within the liver cancer immune microenvironment remain mostly undefined. Here, we demonstrated that disruption of tumor-intrinsic PRMT5 enhances CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity both in vivo and in vitro. Further experiments verified that this effect is achieved through downregulation of the inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule, fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1). Mechanistically, PRMT5 catalyzed symmetric dimethylation of transcription factor 12 (TCF12) at arginine 554 (R554), prompting the binding of TCF12 to FGL1 promoter region, which transcriptionally activated FGL1 in tumor cells. Methylation deficiency at TCF12-R554 residue downregulated FGL1 expression, which promoted CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Notably, combining the PRMT5 methyltransferase inhibitor GSK591 with PD-L1 blockade efficiently inhibited liver cancer growth and improved overall survival in mice. Collectively, our findings reveal the immunosuppressive role and mechanism of PRMT5 in liver cancer and highlight that targeting PRMT5 could boost checkpoint immunotherapy efficacy.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effects of exogenous trigger (hCG/GnRHa) versus endogenous LH surge in natural cycle IVF/ICSI (NC-IVF/ICSI) for patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1,118 NC-IVF/ICSI cycles from two reproductive centers between 2013 and 2024. Propensity score matching (PSM) and multivariate logistic regression were used to adjust for confounding factors. The trigger-day hormone threshold was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Outcome measures included oocyte retrieval rate, 2PN fertilization rate, clinical available embryo rate, high-quality embryo rate, fresh cycle clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), and live birth rate (LBR). RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders via PSM and logistic regression, the exogenous trigger group demonstrated significantly better outcomes across all the evaluated parameters (oocyte retrieval rate, 2PN fertilization rate, transferable embryo rate, high-quality embryo rate, fresh cycle CPR, and LBR) than the endogenous LH surge group (P<0.05). Age-stratified analysis revealed that for the entire cohort, exogenous triggering significantly increased the number of transferable embryos and high-quality embryos (P<0.001). In the 35-39 years old subgroup, exogenous triggering showed significant advantages in oocyte yield, high-quality embryo rate, CPR, and LBR (P<0.05) and resulted in the most pronounced improvement in LBR (OR=6.25, 95% CI: 1.34-29.23). ROC analysis established a decision-day LH threshold of 19.055 mIU/mL (AUC=0.945, specificity=93.3%) for precise stratification of the clinical pathways. CONCLUSIONS For DOR patients undergoing NC-IVF/ICSI, exogenous triggering comprehensively improves the treatment outcomes, particularly providing significant live birth benefits for women aged 35-40 years. An individualized protocol incorporating the LH threshold (19.055 mIU/mL) effectively enhances embryonic developmental potential and live birth rates.
Humans ; Female ; Ovarian Reserve ; Pregnancy ; Propensity Score ; Retrospective Studies ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Pregnancy Rate ; Logistic Models ; Ovulation Induction/methods* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Adult ; Oocyte Retrieval

Purpose: This Phase II trial was objected to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding fulvestrant to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)– locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the association of 16α-18F-fluoro-17β-fluoroestradiol (18F-FES) positron emission tomography (PET)–computed tomography (CT) and metabolites with efficacy. Materials and Methods: Fulvestrant and EC-T regimen were given to ER+/HER2– LABC patients before surgery. At baseline, patients received 18F-FES PET-CT scan, and plasma samples were taken for liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included total pathologic complete response (tpCR) and safety. Results: Among the 36 patients enrolled, the ORR was 86.1%, the tpCR rate was 8.3%. The incidence of grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events was 22%. The decrease in ER value in sensitive patients was larger than that in non-sensitive patients, as was Ki-67 (p < 0.05). The maximum standardized uptake value, mean standardized uptake values, total lesion ER expression of 18F-FES PET-CT in sensitive patients were significantly higher than those in non-sensitive patients (p < 0.05). Moreover, these parameters were significantly correlated with Miller and Payne grade and the change in ER expression before and after treatment (p < 0.05). Thirteen differential expressed metabolites were identified, which were markedly enriched in 19 metabolic pathways. Conclusion This regimen demonstrated acceptable toxicity and encouraging antitumor efficacy. 18F-FES PET-CT might serve as a tool to predict the effectiveness of this therapy. Altered metabolites or metabolic pathways might be associated with treatment response.

ObjectiveThis study aims to observe the effect of sinomenine （SIN） on fatty acid binding protein 4 （FABP4） in synovial tissue of rats with osteoarthritis （OA） and investigate the therapeutic mechanism of SIN on OA， further providing new ideas for the management of osteoarthritis by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. MethodsAn OA rat model was constructed and randomly divided into a control group， an OA group， an OA + SIN-L group （50 mg·kg^-1）， an OA + SIN-M （100 mg·kg^-1）， an OA + SIN-H （200 mg·kg^-1）， and an OA + prednisone （PDN） group （5 mg·kg^-1）. Following surgical modeling for three weeks， an appropriate medication was administered for four weeks. During modeling and administration， a hot plate test was performed to detect the pain and swelling of the knee joints of the rats. The periarticular tissue was collected for arthropathological observation at the end of drug administration. The expression of cleaved Caspase-3， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2 associated X protein （Bax）， and FABP4 in the synovial tissue of rats was detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the expression and distribution of FABP4 protein in the synovial membrane were detected by immunofluorescence. ResultsCompared with those in the control group， the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the OA group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and joint swelling was significantly elevated （P<0.01）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the expression of FABP4 protein and the fluorescence intensity were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The synovial tissue exhibited significantly increased inflammatory infiltration， proliferated fibroblasts， and an elevated apoptotic index （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with those in the OA group， the serum lipid metabolism indexes of rats in the SIN administration group gradually returned to normal （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the SIN-administered group were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and joint swelling was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly elevated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of FABP4 protein and fluorescence intensity in the synovial tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The synovial tissue displayed significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration and a decreased apoptotic index （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe therapeutic effect of SIN on OA may be related to the down-regulation of FABP4 expression， reduction of apoptosis， and inhibition of inflammatory factor expression.

BackgroundNon-suicidal self-injury （NSSI） behaviors are prevalent among adolescents， significantly affecting their physical and mental well-being. Understanding the risk factors associated with adolescent NSSI is crucial for prevention. Previous studies have identified mobile phone dependence as a risk factor for NSSI in adolescents. However， as a key form of mobile phone dependence， the evidence regarding the impact of mobile phone social media dependence on adolescent NSSI behavior remains insufficient. ObjectiveTo explore the impact of mobile phone social media dependence and its associated factors on adolescent NSSI behavior， so as to provide references for intervention strategies targeting NSSI in adolescents. MethodsA total of 100 adolescents diagnosed with NSSI according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5）， and receiving treatment at Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2022 to December 2023 were included in the study group. Concurrently， 100 age- and sex-matched students from Hangzhou were recruited as the control group. Assessments were conducted using Ottawa Self-injury Inventory（OSI） Function Subscale and Addiction Features Subscale， Adolescents Self-Harm Scale（ASHS）， and Mobile Phone Social Media Dependence Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the factors influencing NSSI behaviors. ResultsThe research group had a total of 99 patients （99.00%） who completed the study， while the control group consisted of 97 （97.00%） adolescents who finished this research.The study group had statistically significantly higher total scores on the Mobile Phone Social Media Dependence Questionnaire， as well as higher scores on the conflict and withdrawal dimensions， compared with control group（t=-3.061， -2.874， -2.368， P<0.05 or 0.01）. The study group also scored significantly higher on the OSI Function Subscale for internal emotion regulation， social influence， external emotion regulation， and sensation-seeking factors， as well as on the OSI Addiction Features Subscale scores， compared to the control group（t=-22.249， -8.854， -17.968， -10.591， -20.157， P<0.01）. OSI Function Subscale scores were positively correlated with Mobile Phone Social Media Dependence Questionnaire scores （r=0.321， P<0.01）， and OSI Addiction Features Subscale scores were positively correlated with Mobile Phone Social Media Dependence Questionnaire scores （r=0.282， P<0.01）. ASHS scores were positively correlated with Mobile Phone Social Media Dependence Questionnaire scores （r=0.145， P<0.05）. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that compulsivity （β=0.416， P<0.01） and conflict （β=0.256， P<0.05） were significant predictors for adolescent NSSI behaviors. ConclusionAdolescent NSSI behaviors are associated with mobile phone social media dependence. The compulsivity and conflict dimension of mobile phone social media dependence are influencing factors for adolescent NSSI behaviors. The higher level of the compulsivity and conflict are associated with an increased risk of the NSSI behaviors in adolescents. ［Funde by Zhejiang Medical and Health Science and Technology Plan Project in 2022 （number， 2022KY704］

Objective To explore the associations among smoking behavior,cognitive function,and personality traits in first-episode male patients with schizophrenia,thereby providing theoretical underpinnings for individualized treatment strategies in clinical settings.Methods A total of 140 first-episode male inpatients with schizophrenia admitted to the hospital from January 2022 to December 2023 were recruited.According to their smoking behavior,they were categorized into a smoking group(n=80)and a non-smoking group(n=60).Moreover,healthy controls were recruited and classified into a healthy smoking group(n=62)and a healthy non-smoking group(n=67)based on their smoking status.The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS)was employed to evaluate psychiatric symptoms in the schizophrenia groups.Nicotine dependence was measured using the Fagerstr?m Test for Nicotine Dependence(FTND)in the two smoking groups.Cognitive function and personality traits were assessed in all participants using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status(RBANS)and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ),respectively.Results Regarding cognitive function,the smoking group among schizophrenia patients demonstrated significantly higher scores than the non-smoking group in immediate memory,attention,and delayed memory(all P<0.05).Among schizophrenia patients,FTND scores were moderately negatively correlated with attention and delayed memory(r=-0.552 and-0.657 respectively;both P<0.001).Concerning personality traits,smokers had significantly higher scores in neuroticism and psychoticism compared to non-smokers(both P<0.001).Both patient groups had significantly lower lie scale scores when contrasted with healthy controls(P<0.01),while the healthy smoking group showed significantly higher extraversion scores than the other groups.Conclusions The smoking behavior of male patients during their first episode of schizophrenia exhibits specific characteristics in relation to cognitive performance and personality traits.Smokers demonstrate relatively superior performance in cognitive domains including attention,immediate memory,and delayed memory.However,higher degrees of nicotine dependence are associated with poorer cognitive function,especially in the aspects of attention and delayed memory.Regarding personality,smoking patients display elevated levels of neuroticism and psychoticism.These findings indicate that smoking behavior may be closely associated with cognitive functioning and personality traits,thus meriting clinical attention in the management of schizophrenia.

Objective:To create nodal integrated topological attributes (NITA) index and explore its application value in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) identification by combining with machine learning model.Methods:Sixty-nine patients with OCD and 69 healthy volunteers matched with gender, age and years of education from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University who met the enrollment criteria from January 2022 to September 2023 were included in the study.Their whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were collected and preprocessed to construct the brain functional network, and the global and nodal topological attributes were extracted as the two sets of training features for the support vector machine (SVM), random forest and gradient boosting tree, and the better features were selected by comparing the classification results of the three machine learning models. The selected features were downgraded using principal component analysis algorithm, and the above models were trained again to filter out the models that were compatible with the new dimensional features. Finally, the new dimensional features with statistically significant differences in brain regions were screened and used to train the adapted model. SPSS 20.0 software was used to process relevant data, and independent sample t-test was used for inter group comparison. Results:Each machine learning model trained based on node topological attribute metrics was higher than the global metrics in terms of accuracy, recall, F1 value and AUC, and the average accuracy of the former was higher than that of the latter by about 10.00%. The node topology attribute metrics were downscaled and named NITA, which can synthesize about 95.00% of the feature information of node topology attribute metrics on average. SVM was finally chosen as the fitness model for NITA (accuracy of 86.00%, recall of 87.00%, F1 value of 0.86, AUC of 0.92). Compared with healthy controls, the differences in NITA in the medial superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, ventral inferotemporal gyrus, caudal inferior parietal lobule, medial precuneus, insula hypergranular cellular area, caudal cuneus gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus, caudal hippocampus, dorsal caudate nucleus, and several subregions of the superior temporal gyrus and the thalamus were statistically significant in the OCD group (all P<0.05, FDR-corrected). Training the NITA of the above brain regions as features yielded the optimal model FDR-NITA-SVM, which had an accuracy of 91.38% in the training group and 90.00% in the test group. Conclusion:NITA can be used as a potential imaging marker for recognizing OCD.NITA abnormal brain regions are key nodes for information exchange and integration among brain networks in OCD patients.