Objective To explore the feasibility and reference value of allogeneic lung transplantation and postoperative monitoring in miniature pigs for lung transplantation research. Methods Two miniature pigs (R1 and R2) underwent left lung allogeneic transplantation. Complement-dependent cytotoxicity tests and blood cross-matching were performed before surgery. The main operative times and partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO₂) after opening the pulmonary artery were recorded during surgery. Postoperatively, routine blood tests, biochemical blood indicators and inflammatory factors were detected, and pathological examinations of multiple organs were conducted. Results The complement-dependent cytotoxicity test showed that the survival rate of lymphocytes between donors and recipients was 42.5%-47.3%, and no agglutination reaction occurred in the cross-matching. The first warm ischemia times of D1 and D2 were 17 min and 10 min, respectively, and the cold ischemia times were 246 min and 216 min, respectively. Ultimately, R1 and R2 survived for 1.5 h and 104 h, respectively. Postoperatively, in R1, albumin (ALB) and globulin (GLB) decreased, and alanine aminotransferase increased; in R2, ALB, GLB and aspartate aminotransferase all increased. Urea nitrogen and serum creatinine increased in both recipients. Pathological results showed that in R1, the transplanted lung had partial consolidation with inflammatory cell infiltration, and multiple organs were congested and damaged. In R2, the transplanted lung had severe necrosis with fibrosis, and multiple organs had mild to moderate damage. The expression levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 increased in the transplanted lungs. Conclusions The allogeneic lung transplantation model in miniature pigs may systematically evaluate immunological compatibility, intraoperative function and postoperative organ damage. The data obtained may provide technical references for subsequent lung transplantation research.

ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic efficacy， influencing factors， and safety of a treatment regimen based on coblopasvir hydrochloride capsules/sofosbuvir tablets in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus （HCV） infection in a real-world setting. MethodsA total of 253 patients who attended The Third People’s Hospital of Kunming from September 1， 2021 to May 31， 2024 were enrolled， among whom there were 86 patients with compensated liver cirrhosis （CLC group） and 167 patients with chronic hepatitis C （CHC group）. The patients were treated with coblopasvir hydrochloride capsules （60 mg）/sofosbuvir tablets （400 mg） with or without ribavirin tablets for 12 weeks， and they were followed up for 12 weeks after drug withdrawal. The primary outcome measures were the rate of sustained virologic response at week 12 after treatment （SVR12） and safety， and the secondary outcome measures were the changes in liver function， renal function， blood routine， and liver stiffness measurements （LSM） after 4 weeks of treatment， after 12 weeks of treatment， and at 12 weeks after drug withdrawal. The independent-samples t test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the Friedman test was used for comparison between multiple groups， while the Bonferroni method was used for paired comparison within each group； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The Logistic analysis was used to investigate related influencing factors. ResultsThe 253 patients with chronic HCV infection had a mean age of 49.38±8.65 years， and there were 151 male patients （59.7%）. Of all patients， 33.99% （86/253） had liver cirrhosis， 25.69% （65/253） had hypertension， 10.67% （27/253） had HIV infection， 8.70% （22/253） had diabetes， 3.95% （10/253） had liver cancer， 1.98% （5/253） had chronic hepatitis B， and 7.91% （20/253） were treatment-experienced patients. As for genotype distribution， 2.77% （7/253） had genotype 1， 12.65% （32/253） had genotype 2， 66.01% （167/253） had genotype 3， 16.60% （42/253） had genotype 6， and 1.98% （5/253） had unknown genotype. The patients had an overall SVR12 rate of 92.09%， with an SVR12 rate of 93.02% in the CLC group and 91.02% in the CHC group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age （odds ratio ［OR］=1.086， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.007 — 1.170， P=0.032） and HCC （OR=9.178， 95%CI： 1.722 — 48.912， P=0.009） were independent influencing factors for sustained virologic response. Compared with baseline data， the CLC group had significant reductions in alanine aminotransferase （ALT） （χ²=107.103， P0.05）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST） （χ²=90.602， P0.05）， and LSM （χ²=42.235， P0.05） after 12 weeks of treatment， while the CHC group had significant reductions in total bilirubin （χ²=15.113， P0.05）， ALT （χ²=202.237， P0.05）， AST （χ²=161.193， P0.05）， and LSM （χ²=37.606， P0.05）. The incidence rate of serious adverse events was 1.58%， and none of the patients withdrew from drug therapy； the patients with such events were relieved after active symptomatic treatment. The incidence rate of all adverse events was 23.72%， among which fatigue （17.39%） and nausea （2.37%） were the most common adverse events， and these events often disappeared within 2 weeks or were gradually relieved after symptomatic treatment. ConclusionCoblopasvir hydrochloride capsules/sofosbuvir tablets with or without ribavirin tablets has good efficacy and safety in the treatment of chronic HCV infection.

With the emergence of deep learning techniques based on convolutional neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) has driven transformative developments in the field of medical image analysis. Recently, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have also started to achieve distinction in this domain. Increasing research shows the undeniable role of AI in reshaping various aspects of medical image analysis, including processes such as image enhancement, segmentation, detection in image preprocessing, and postprocessing related to medical diagnosis and prognosis in clinical settings. However, despite the significant progress in AI research, studies investigating the recent advances in AI technology in the aforementioned aspects, the changes in research hotspot trajectories, and the performance of studies in addressing key clinical challenges in this field are limited. This article provides an overview of recent advances in AI for medical image analysis and discusses the methodological profiles, advantages, disadvantages, and future trends of AI technologies.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Deep Learning ; Diagnostic Imaging/methods*

Dipsaci Radix is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in China, with triterpenoid saponins as the main active components. β-Amyrin synthase, a member of the oxidosqualene cyclase superfamily, plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins. Asperosaponin Ⅵ is an oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin. To explore the β-amyrin synthase genes involved in the biosynthesis of asperosaponin Ⅵ in Dipsacus asper, this study screened the candidate genes from the transcriptome data of D. asper. Two β-amyrin synthase genes, Da OSC1 and Da OSC2, were identified by phylogenetic analysis and correlation analysis. The coding sequences of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 were 2 286 bp and 2 295 bp in length, encoding 761 and 764 amino acids,respectively. Multiple sequence alignments showed that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 had three conserved motifs( DCTAE, QW, and MWCYCR) unique to the oxidosqualene cyclase family. Real-time quantitative PCR results showed that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 had the highest expression levels in the roots. Compared with normal growth conditions, the low-temperature treatment significantly upregulated the expression of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2. Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 in Nicotiana benthamiana resulted in the production of β-amyrin, which suggested that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 were able to catalyze the synthesis of β-amyrin. This study clarified the catalytic functions of two β-amyrin synthases in D. asper, analyzed their expression patterns in different tissue and at low temperatures. The findings provide a foundation for further studying the biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanism of asperosaponin Ⅵ in D. asper.
Intramolecular Transferases/chemistry* ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Dipsacaceae/classification* ; Saponins/metabolism* ; Oleanolic Acid/metabolism*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the measures to improve the follow-up rate of preterm infants after discharge, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures using quality improvement methodology. METHODS: The follow-up status of preterm infants discharged from March to May 2017 was used as the baseline before quality improvement, and a specific quality improvement goal for the follow-up rate was proposed. The Pareto chart was used to analyze the causes of follow-up failure, and a key driver diagram was constructed based on the links involved in improving follow-up rate. The causes of failure were analyzed to determine the key links and intervention measures for quality improvement, and the follow-up rate was monitored weekly using a control chart until the quality improvement goal was achieved. RESULTS: The follow-up rate of preterm infants after discharge was 57.92% (117/202) at baseline before quality improvement, and the quality improvement goal was set to increase the follow-up rate of preterm infants from baseline to more than 80% within 12 months. The Pareto chart analysis showed that the main causes of follow-up failure were deficiencies in follow-up file management and irregular follow-up times (33.70%, 31/92), insufficient follow-up education and poor communication (25.00%, 23/92), and the inability to meet the diverse needs of parents (18.48%, 17/92). Based on the key links for quality improvement and the main causes of follow-up failure, the following intervention measures were adopted: (1) strengthen follow-up publicity and education; (2) build a follow-up team; and (3) establish a follow-up platform and system. The control chart indicated that with the implementation of the above intervention measures, the weekly follow-up rate increased to 74.09% (306/413) in July 2017 and 83.09% (511/615) in December 2017, finally achieving the quality improvement goal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the follow-up rate of preterm infants fluctuated between 23.54% (460/1 954) and 70.97% (1 931/2 721), and subsequently, it returned to pre-pandemic levels starting in February 2023. CONCLUSIONS The application of quality improvement methodology can help to formulate intervention measures based on the main causes of follow-up failure, thereby improving the follow-up rate of preterm infants after discharge. This quality improvement method is feasible and practical and thus holds promise for clinical application.
Humans ; Quality Improvement ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Patient Discharge ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Male

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is common in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and may develop earlier in those with multiple cardiovascular comorbidities, potentially impairing self-management and treatment adherence. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and profile of MCI in AF patients, examine its associations with cardiovascular comorbidities, and assess how these comorbidities influence specific cognitive domains. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from AF patients who underwent cognitive assessment between 2017 and 2021. Cognitive status was categorized as MCI or non-MCI based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Associations between comorbidities and MCI were assessed by logistic regression, and cognitive domains were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Of 4136 AF patients (mean age: 64.7 ± 9.4 years, 64.7% male), 33.5% of patients had MCI. Among the AF patients, 31.2% of patients had coronary artery disease, 20.1% of patients had heart failure, and 18.1% of patients had hypertension. 88.7% of patients had left atrial enlargement, and 11.0% of patients had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Independent factors associated with higher MCI prevalence included older age (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.03-1.05, P < 0.001), lower education level (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.31-1.73, P < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.07-1.52, P = 0.001), heart failure (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.04-1.48, P = 0.020), and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.04-1.98, P = 0.028). A higher CHA₂DS₂-VASc score (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.22-1.33, P < 0.001; ≥ 2 points vs. < 2 points), and greater atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease burden (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.02-2.08, P = 0.040; 2 types vs. 0 type) were linked to increased MCI risk. These above factors influenced various cognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS MCI is common in AF and closely associated with cardiovascular multimorbidity. Patients with multiple comorbidities are at higher risk, highlighting the importance of routine cognitive assessment to support self-management and integrated care.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease lacking effective therapy. Metformin, an antidiabetic medication, has shown promising therapeutic properties in preclinical fibrosis models; however, its precise cellular targets and associated mechanisms in fibrosis resolution remain incompletely defined. Most research on metformin's effects has focused on mesenchymal and inflammatory responses with limited attention to epithelial cells. In this study, we utilized Sftpc lineage-traced and Fgfr2b conditional knockout mice, along with BMP2/PPARγ and AMPK inhibitors, to explore metformin's impact on alveolar epithelial cells in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model and cell culture. We found that metformin increased the proliferation and differentiation of alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells, particularly the recently identified injury-activated alveolar progenitors (IAAPs)-a subpopulation characterized by low SFTPC expression but enriched for PD-L1. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a reduction in apoptosis among mature AT2 cells. Interestingly, metformin's therapeutic effects were not significantly affected by BMP2 or PPARγ inhibition, which blocked the lipogenic differentiation of myofibroblasts. However, Fgfr2b deletion in Sftpc lineage cells significantly impaired metformin's ability to promote fibrosis resolution, a process linked to AMPK signaling. In conclusion, metformin alleviates fibrosis by directly activating AT2 cells, especially the IAAPs, through a mechanism that involves AMPK and FGFR2b signaling, but is largely independent of BMP2/PPARγ pathways.

Objective To investigate the value of cranial CT cisternal grading combined with D-dimer(D-D)and Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS)score in predicting the short-term postoperative prog-nosis of patients with severe traumatic brain injury.Methods A total of 165 patients with severe trau-matic brain injury who were treated in the hospital from January 2019 to May 2024 were selected as study subjects,all underwent craniotomy surgery.Postoperative follow-up was conducted for 3 months to analyze the differences in clinical data and preoperative indicators such as cranial CT cisternal grad-ing,D-D levels,and GCS scores between patients with poor and good prognosis.The value of cranial CT cisternal grading,D-D levels,and GCS scores in predicting short-term postoperative poor prognosis in patients with severe traumatic brain injury was also analyzed.Results Compared with patients with good prognosis,patients with poor prognosis had higher proportion of age,cranial CT cisternal grading of Ⅰ to Ⅱ,D-D levels,and GCS scores＜6(P＜0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in C-reactive protein,prothrombin time,activated partial thromboplastin time,international normalized ratio,total cholesterol,triglycerides,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels between patients with poor and good prognosis(P＞0.05).Cranial CT cisternal grading,D-D levels,and GCS scores were influencing factors for short-term postoperative poor prognosis in patients with severe traumatic brain injury(P＜0.05).The area under the curve for poor prognosis by three indicators in combination was 0.941(95％CI,0.906 to 0.975),which was higher than the area under the curve for the individual predictions of cranial CT cisternal grad-ing,D-D levels,and GCS scores(P＜0.05).Conclusion The influencing factors for short-term postoperative prognosis in patients with severe traumatic brain injury include cranial CT cisternal grading,D-D levels,and GCS scores.The model based on these three indicators has certain appli-cation value in predicting patient prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Danmu Extract Syrup (DMS) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and explore the mechanism. METHODS: Seventy-two male Balb/C mice were randomly divided into 6 groups according to a random number table (n=12), including control (normal saline), LPS (5 mg/kg), LPS+DMS 2.5 mL/kg, LPS+DMS 5 mL/kg, LPS+DMS 10 mL/kg, and LPS+Dexamethasone (DXM, 5 mg/kg) groups. After pretreatment with DMS and DXM, the ALI mice model was induced by LPS, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected to determine protein concentration, cell counts and inflammatory cytokines. The lung tissues of mice were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and the wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of lung tissue was calculated. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 β in BALF of mice were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of Claudin-5, vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phospho-protein kinase B (p-Akt) and Akt were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: DMS pre-treatment significantly ameliorated lung histopathological changes. Compared with the LPS group, the W/D ratio and protein contents in BALF were obviously reduced after DMS pretreatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The number of cells in BALF and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity decreased significantly after DMS pretreatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). DMS pre-treatment decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1 β (P<0.01). Meanwhile, DMS activated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway and reversed the expressions of Claudin-5, VE-cadherin and VEGF (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS DMS attenuated LPS-induced ALI in mice through repairing endothelial barrier. It might be a potential therapeutic drug for LPS-induced lung injury.
Mice ; Male ; Animals ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Claudin-5/metabolism* ; Acute Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Lung/pathology* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal