ObjectiveCandidate genes related to the regulation of litter size traits in English Springer Spaniel breeding bitches are explored, and the genetic mechanism underlying fertility in this breed is investigated, in order to provide reference molecular markers for genomic selection of high fecundity. MethodsWhole genome resequencing was performed on English Springer Spaniel breeding bitches that had given birth to at least 3 litters, and the bitches were divided into a high-litter-size group and a low-litter-size group according to the average litter size. Selection signal analysis was used to obtain the intersection of fixation index (F_st) and nucleotide diversity (Pi) signals as highly selected regions, and candidate genes were screened based on gene annotation and functional enrichment analysis. ResultsThe average litter size in the high-litter-size group (7.41±1.27) was significantly higher than that in the low-litter-size group (3.82±1.20) (P＜0.05), and the total number of live offspring in the high-litter-size group (7.06±1.10) was extremely significantly higher than that in the low-litter-size group (3.67±1.11) (P＜0.01). A total of 3 155 706 SNPs were detected in the two groups, 63.09% of which were located in intergenic regions, 33.96% in intronic regions, and 0.38％, 0.57％, and 0.09％ in exonic regions, 3' untranslated regions (UTRs), and 5'UTRs, respectively. Among the SNPs in exonic regions, 5 256 were nonsynonymous variants, accounting for 43.55%. A total of 1 752 differential genes were identified after annotation screening. Gene ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG) enrichment analyses identified 13 candidate genes that may affect reproductive performance and litter size traits, including WDR35, SMAD7, RPGR, RERGL, PGRMC2, LOC482182, GIMD1, COX7B2, COX16, BMPR2, BMP6, BICD1, and SLC9C1. Their functions mainly involve reproductive hormone regulation, embryonic development, GTPase activation, and oocyte apoptosis. ConclusionEnglish Springer Spaniel breeding bitches have undergone significant artificial selection for litter size traits. These 13 candidate genes play key roles in oocyte maturation and regulation during early pregnancy, providing a new molecular basis for elucidating the genetic mechanism of canine reproductive traits.

Living systematic review (LSR) is a systematic review methodology that incorporates regular updates to integrate new evidence, aiming to rapidly reflect the latest research findings. Although LSRs are increasingly adopted in clinical fields, their reporting quality remains inconsistent and lack of standardized guidelines. To standardize LSR reporting, the PRISMA 2020 statement has released an extension checklist (PRISMA-LSR). This paper describes the background of PRISMA-LSR release and main revisions, and interprets it with examples, with the goal of guiding future LSR research and enhancing reporting quality.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease （MASLD） poses significant threats to patients with diabetes， but there is still a lack of adequate understanding. About two-thirds of the patients with type 2 diabetes are comorbid with MASLD， which significantly increases the risk of liver cirrhosis， liver cancer， and liver-related mortality and is closely associated with the progression of cardiovascular diseases， extrahepatic malignancies， and diabetes. However， the screening and management of MASLD are not taken seriously in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. This consensus report highlights the need for liver fibrosis screening and risk stratification in patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes， especially those with obesity， covering the following aspects： the pathophysiological rationale for updated MASLD terminology， the strategies for risk stratification， current treatment regimens （lifestyle interventions and pharmacotherapy）， long-term monitoring protocols， and the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration. In addition， it discusses the impact of alcohol consumption on liver health. By enhancing the awareness of MASLD among clinicians and patients and incorporating liver fibrosis screening into standard diabetes management， it is expected to improve the long-term prognosis of patients and reduce the incidence rate of liver cirrhosis.

Objective:To evaluate the short-term safety and efficacy of total laparoscopic, laparoscopy-assisted, and open total gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer who have undergone neoadjuvant therapy.Methods:In this retrospective cohort study, relevant clinical data on 243 patients who had undergone radical total gastrectomy after receiving neoadjuvant therapy were collected. These patients had been admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, Yuncheng Central Hospital of Shanxi Province, and Heji Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College between January 2020 and April 2024. Among them, 202 were male (83.1%) and 41 were female (16.9%), and their average age was 61.3±8.1 years. The patients were allocated to three groups according to surgical procedure: total laparoscopic (68 cases), laparoscopic- assisted (79 cases), and open surgery (96 cases). We compared relevant baseline characteristics, neoadjuvant treatment, intraoperative and postoperative conditions, postoperative histopathological findings, and related complications between these three groups.Results:There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics or neoadjuvant treatment between the three groups (all P>0.05). The operative time was longer in the total laparoscopic group than in the laparoscopic-assisted and open surgery groups (267.7±37.9 minutes vs. 243.9±38.3 minutes vs. 219.7±41.2 minutes, respectively; F=7,112.278; P<0.001). However, more lymph nodes were harvested in the total laparoscopic group than in the laparoscopic-assisted and open surgery groups (27.8±4.8 vs. 27.4±6.3 vs. 27.2±5.1, respectively; F=6.042; P=0.002). Additionally, the total laparoscopic group had shorter times to first postoperative flatus (2.3±0.7 days vs. 2.4±0.7 days vs. 2.6±0.6 days, respectively; F=5.094; P=0.006] and first postoperative bowel movement (2.9±0.5 days vs. 3.0±0.6 days vs. 3.0±0.6 days, respectively; F=3.929; P=0.020). There were no statistically significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative transfusion rates, postoperative intensive care unit admission rates, maximum tumor diameter, number of positive lymph nodes dissected, TNM stage, time to first postoperative oral intake, time to drain removal, or length of hospital stay between the three groups (all P>0.05). Among the 243 patients, 22 developed postoperative complications, making the overall complication rate 9.1%. Six patients (8.8%) in the total laparoscopic group developed complications, comprising two (2.9%) Grade IIIa Clavien-Dindo complications. One of these patients (1.5%) was readmitted within 30 days due to complications. Seven patients (8.9%) in the laparoscopic-assisted group developed complications, comprising two (2.5%) Grade IIIa Clavien-Dindo complications. One of these patients was readmitted within 30 days and another was within 90 days due to complications. Nine patients (9.4%) in the open surgery group developed complications, comprising four (4.2%) Grade IIIa Clavien-Dindo complications. Two patients (2.1%) were readmitted within 30 days and another (1.0%) within 90 days due to complications. There were no statistically significant differences among the three surgical approaches in overall postoperative complication rates, Clavien-Dindo grades, or readmission rates 30 and 90 days postoperatively (all P>0.05). Conclusions:In patients with gastric cancer who have undergone neoadjuvant therapy, there are no significant differences in the overall safety and short-term effectiveness of the three surgical procedures. Although the operative time is longer for total laparoscopic total gastrectomy, this procedure offers the advantages of faster postoperative recovery and earlier resumption of feeding.

Objective To preliminarily investigate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous microwave ab-lation(MWA)in patients with advanced breast cancer involving the skin or nipple-areola complex(NAC).Methods This study included breast cancer patients with skin or NAC involvement treated at the Fifth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2011 to August 2024.Patients underwent percutaneous MWA with water isolation technique to protect surrounding tissues.Clinical data were retrospectively collected,and the technical success rate,complications,prognosis,patient satisfaction with breast aesthetics,and quality of life improvement were analyzed.Results A total of 19 patients(24 lesions)meeting the inclusion and ex-clusion criteria were analyzed.The cases included 4 with T4N0M0,2 with T4N1M0,3 with T4N2M0,1 with T4N3M0,1 with T4N2M1,and 8 with T4N3M1.The average diameter of the 24 lesions was(4.9±3.4)cm,with an average of(1.6±0.6)ablation sessions per lesion.The median ablation time was 36.9(26.1,61.7)minutes,and the median ablation energy was 84.2(45.6,149.2)kJ.The technical success rate was 100%.Postoperatively,7 patients(7/19,36.8%)experienced skin burns around the lesion or nipple shedding,all of which healed naturally.The median overall survival was 35.0(17.0,45.5)months,and the median recur-rence-free survival was 17.0(11.0,38.5)months.Patient satisfaction with post-treatment breast aesthetics was 89.5%,and all patients reported significant improvement in their quality of life.Conclusions Percutane-ous microwave ablation for breast cancer involving the skin or NAC was preliminary demonstrates to be safe and effective,suggesting its potential as a viable treatment option for patients with inoperable breast cancer.

Objective To explore the impacts of dietary diary combined with path based eating management on gastrointestinal function and dietary health behavior in postoperative patients with laparoscopic distal gastric cancer.Methods From January 2021 to January 2023,150 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastric cancer surgery were randomly divided into two groups.The control group received routine dietary management intervention,while the observation group received dietary diary combined with path based eating management intervention.The gastrointestinal function and dietary health behavior of the two groups were compared.Results The excellent and good rate of gastrointestinal function recovery was 57.33％in the observation group,which was higher than 47.33％in the control group 3 d after operation(P＜0.05);One month after surgery and three months after discharge,the scores of dietary health behaviors in the observation group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05);One month after discharge and three months after discharge,the serum albumin level in observation group was(37.68±5.30)g/L,(38.25±4.82)g/L,and the hemoglobin level was(120.08±20.02)g/L,(124.62±24.23)g/L,which was higher than that in control group[1 month after discharge:(30.32±4.17)g/L,(32.99±4.41)g/L;3 months after discharge:(110.75±16.12)g/L,(115.34±18.44)g/L](P＜0.05);The complication rate of the observation group was lower than that of the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Dietary diary combined with path based eating management can promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function and improve dietary health behavior in postoperative patients with laparoscopic distal gastric cancer.

Objective:To analyze the influencing factors of image quality of high-frequency ultrasound at the level of the glottis in healthy adults.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted on 433 healthy voluteers who underwent routine neck ultrasound examination at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from October 2023 to April 2024 and met the inclusion criteria. General data of the subjects were collected，and the image quality was graded. Gender，age，height，weight，body mass index，body surface area，thyroid cartilage calcification ratio，thickness of anterior cervical subcutaneous soft tissue and thickness of anterior cervical muscle group were analyzed by using multivariable Logistic regression for the influencing factors of image quality.Results:The display rates of the vocal cord epithelial layer and lamina propria，vocal cord muscle layer and paraglottic space structures in the para-thyroid cartilage section were superior to those in the anterior median section，with statistically significant differences（all P<0.05）. There were statistically significant differences in image quality grading among different age groups（all P<0.05），and image quality deteriorated as age increased. Logistic multivariate analysis indicated that gender，age and thyroid cartilage calcification ratio were independent factors affecting image quality（all P<0.05）. With age increased，thyroid cartilage calcification at the glottic level could be concentrated in the anterior，middle and posterior parts，respectively，and subsequently，calcification in the anterior and middle or middle and posterior parts gradually fused until complete calcification occurred. Conclusions:High-frequency ultrasound can clearly display the structures of most normal adult larynges at the glottis level，with the lateral section of the thyroid cartilage being superior to the median anterior neck section. As age increases，the degree of thyroid cartilage calcification increases，and image quality worsens.

Objective:To construct a Harvard cancer index-based risk predictive model for perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture and assess its predictive effectiveness.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 610 elderly patients with femoral neck fracture admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2013 and December 2022, including 193 males and 417 females, aged 60-99 years [(77.3±9.0)years]. The patients were divided into VTE group ( n=125) and non-VTE group ( n=485) according to occurrence of VTE during the perioperative period. The two groups were compared in terms of gender, age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, time from fracture to admission, surgical waiting time, comorbidities, perioperative electrolyte disorders, past or present history of malignancy, past history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), and preoperative use of oral anticoagulants. Univariate analysis and multivariable stepwise Logistic regression analysis were conducted to evaluate and identify independent risk factors for perioperative VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. A perioperative VTE risk predictive model for elderly patients with femoral neck fracture was constructed using the Harvard cancer index: (1) assigning a risk score to each variable according to the corresponding conversion criteria of the Harvard cancer index and risk score, based on the magnitude of their ORs; (2) determining the exposure rate of each risk factor based on the population distribution observed in this study; (3) calculating the average population risk score; (4) computing the individual VTE risk score; (5) deriving the ratio (X) of each individual ′s VTE risk score to the population average. Based on the Harvard cancer index classification criteria for disease risk levels, individual VTE risk categories were determined. The predictive performance of the risk stratification was evaluated by comparing the incidence of VTE across different risk levels. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated based on sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The calibration of the model was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test and internal validation was performed using the bootstrap resampling method with 1000 iterations. Results:Univariate analysis showed that gender, age, time from fracture to admission, surgical waiting time, previous cerebral infarction, stroke within the past month, Alzheimer′s disease, primary Parkinson′s syndrome, hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy, perioperative electrolyte disorders, history of DVT or PE, and preoperative use of oral anticoagulant drug were moderately associated with the occurrence of VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture ( P<0.10). Multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that female gender ( OR=2.26, 95% CI 1.34, 3.80, P<0.01), time from fracture to admission>1 day ( OR=3.70, 95% CI 2.24, 6.12, P<0.01), surgical waiting time>70 hours ( OR=2.06, 95% CI 1.29, 3.30, P<0.01), previous cerebral infarction ( OR=3.78, 95% CI 1.04, 13.76, P<0.05), stroke within the past month ( OR=11.57, 95% CI 1.21, 110.44, P<0.05), Alzheimer′s disease ( OR=3.26, 95% CI 1.12, 9.49, P<0.05), primary Parkinson ′s syndrome ( OR=3.47, 95% CI 1.22, 9.85, P<0.05), previous hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy ( OR=4.75, 95% CI 2.09, 10.80, P<0.01), perioperative electrolyte disorders ( OR=2.73, 95% CI 1.39, 5.35, P<0.01), and preoperative oral anticoagulant use ( OR=3.86, 95% CI 1.18, 12.67, P<0.05) were significantly associated with the occurrence of perioperative VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. Based on the above 10 risk factors, a perioperative VTE risk predictive model for elderly patients with femoral neck fracture was constructed with the Harvard cancer index. The formula was as follows: X=[10×(female gender)+25×(time from fracture to admission>1 day)+10×(surgical waiting time>70 hours)+25×(previous cerebral infarction)+50×(stroke within the past month)+25×(Alzheimer′s disease)+25×(primary Parkinson′s disease)+25×(previous hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy)+10×(perioperative electrolyte disorders)+25×(preoperative use of oral anticoagulant drug)]/33. Individualized VTE risk was classified into five levels: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high, with corresponding VTE rates of 4.8%, 11.8%, 14.9%, 32.3%, and 73.5%, respectively ( χ2=87.71, P<0.01). The VTE risk predictive model demonstrated an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI 0.69, 0.79, P<0.01), with a sensitivity of 63.2% and specificity of 74.8%. The H-L goodness-of-fit test indicated satisfactory model calibration ( P>0.05). The internal validation with the bootstrap method confirmed that the AUC remained 0.74. Conclusions:Female gender, time from fracture to admission>1 day, surgical waiting time>70 hours, previous cerebral infarction, stroke within the past month, Alzheimer′s disease, primary Parkinson′s syndrome, hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy, perioperative electrolyte disorders, and preoperative use of oral anticoagulant drug are independent risk factors for perioperative VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. Based on these factors, the perioperative VTE risk predictive model constructed using the Harvard cancer index demonstrates good clinical predictive value. Individualized VTE risk stratification can effectively identify high-, intermediate-, and low-risk populations, providing a valuable reference for tailoring anticoagulant prophylaxis strategies and enhancing postoperative surveillance.

Objective:Comparative study on the application value of bronchial ultrasound combined with different biopsy methods under thin-layer CT navigation in the diagnosis of malignant peripheral lung lesions.Methods:A retrospective analysis of patients with suspected malignant peripheral lung lesions identified by chest CT from January 2019 to September 2024 at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, and Xianyang Central Hospital, who underwent routine bronchoscopy with negative results (209 cases). These patients were diagnosed using bronchial ultrasound under thin-layer CT navigation. The cases were divided into a cryobiopsy group (127 cases) and a conventional forceps biopsy group based on the biopsy method (82 cases). The diagnostic rates of the two groups were statistically analyzed, along with factors influencing the diagnostic rates. The tissue size obtained from both groups was compared, and the occurrence of complications was summarized.Results:This study included 209 cases with 216 peripheral lung lesions. A total of 209 cases with 210 lesions were successfully located through thin-slice CT guidance, resulting in a guiding success rate of 97.2% (210/216). Among the 130 lesions in the cryobiopsy group, 78 lesions were diagnosed as lung malignancies, with a diagnostic rate of 82.1% (64/78) for cryobiopsy in lung malignant lesions. In the forceps biopsy group, 46 of the 86 lesions were diagnosed as lung malignancies, with a diagnostic rate of 87.0% (40/46) for forceps biopsy in lung malignant lesions. There was no statistically significant difference between the two diagnostic rates ( P=0.473). The average longest diameter of tissue obtained by cryobiopsy was (6.11±0.23) mm, while the average longest diameter of tissue obtained by forceps biopsy was (1.58±0.43) mm. There was a statistically significant difference in tissue longest diameter between the two groups ( P＜0.001). When the distance from the bronchoscopic tip to the lesion was ≥3 cm and the most distal bronchus visible under bronchoscopy was ≤5th generation, the diagnostic rate of forceps biopsy was higher [83.3%(25/30) and 94.1%(32/34)] than that of cryobiopsy [79.3%(23/29) and 78.0%(46/59)], and the difference was statistically significant ( P＜0.05). Regarding complications, one case (1.3%, 1/78) of clinically significant complications occurred in the cryobiopsy group, while no complications occurred in the forceps biopsy group. Conclusions:Under thin-layer CT navigation, bronchial ultrasound combined with different biopsy methods demonstrates a high diagnostic rate for malignant peripheral lung lesions and is safe to operate. Cryobiopsy allows for the collection of larger tissue specimens.

Objective To preliminarily investigate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous microwave ab-lation(MWA)in patients with advanced breast cancer involving the skin or nipple-areola complex(NAC).Methods This study included breast cancer patients with skin or NAC involvement treated at the Fifth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2011 to August 2024.Patients underwent percutaneous MWA with water isolation technique to protect surrounding tissues.Clinical data were retrospectively collected,and the technical success rate,complications,prognosis,patient satisfaction with breast aesthetics,and quality of life improvement were analyzed.Results A total of 19 patients(24 lesions)meeting the inclusion and ex-clusion criteria were analyzed.The cases included 4 with T4N0M0,2 with T4N1M0,3 with T4N2M0,1 with T4N3M0,1 with T4N2M1,and 8 with T4N3M1.The average diameter of the 24 lesions was(4.9±3.4)cm,with an average of(1.6±0.6)ablation sessions per lesion.The median ablation time was 36.9(26.1,61.7)minutes,and the median ablation energy was 84.2(45.6,149.2)kJ.The technical success rate was 100%.Postoperatively,7 patients(7/19,36.8%)experienced skin burns around the lesion or nipple shedding,all of which healed naturally.The median overall survival was 35.0(17.0,45.5)months,and the median recur-rence-free survival was 17.0(11.0,38.5)months.Patient satisfaction with post-treatment breast aesthetics was 89.5%,and all patients reported significant improvement in their quality of life.Conclusions Percutane-ous microwave ablation for breast cancer involving the skin or NAC was preliminary demonstrates to be safe and effective,suggesting its potential as a viable treatment option for patients with inoperable breast cancer.