Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Flexible ureteral lithotripsy (FURL) under general anesthesia (GA) is the dominant method in the treatment of renal and upper ureteral calculi，but some patients cannot tolerate GA.In recent years，there has been a growing interest in the use of local anesthesia (LA) as a safe and effective alternative.And it is also an option for patients who have calculi ≤20 mm with high fragility，lower CT value and better compatibility.Before surgery，it is important to conduct relevant examinations，evaluate the status of patients，prevent infections，and indwell ureteral stents.During surgery，lithotomy position，scissors position，prone leg position and other positions should be selected according to the specific conditions of patients.LA drugs should be used to control physiological pain and relieve psychological anxiety.Patients' breathing state should be carefully monitored，and appropriate ureteroscope and lens sheath should be selected for the success and safety of the operation.In this paper，the perioperative management of FURL under LA is briefly summarized，so as to provide reference for clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Drug repurposing offers a promising alternative to traditional drug development and significantly reduces costs and timelines by identifying new therapeutic uses for existing drugs. However, the current approaches often rely on limited data sources and simplistic hypotheses, which restrict their ability to capture the multi-faceted nature of biological systems. This study introduces adaptive multi-view learning (AMVL), a novel methodology that integrates chemical-induced transcriptional profiles (CTPs), knowledge graph (KG) embeddings, and large language model (LLM) representations, to enhance drug repurposing predictions. AMVL incorporates an innovative similarity matrix expansion strategy and leverages multi-view learning (MVL), matrix factorization, and ensemble optimization techniques to integrate heterogeneous multi-source data. Comprehensive evaluations on benchmark datasets (Fdataset, Cdataset, and Ydataset) and the large-scale iDrug dataset demonstrate that AMVL outperforms state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods, achieving superior accuracy in predicting drug-disease associations across multiple metrics. Literature-based validation further confirmed the model's predictive capabilities, with seven out of the top ten predictions corroborated by post-2011 evidence. To promote transparency and reproducibility, all data and codes used in this study were open-sourced, providing resources for processing CTPs, KG, and LLM-based similarity calculations, along with the complete AMVL algorithm and benchmarking procedures. By unifying diverse data modalities, AMVL offers a robust and scalable solution for accelerating drug discovery, fostering advancements in translational medicine and integrating multi-omics data. We aim to inspire further innovations in multi-source data integration and support the development of more precise and efficient strategies for advancing drug discovery and translational medicine.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) with increasing global prevalence lacks effective therapeutic targets to halt or reverse its progression. Therapeutic targets supported by causal genetic evidence are more likely to succeed in randomized clinical trials. In this study, we integrated large-scale plasma proteomics, genetic-driven causal inference, and experimental validation to identify prioritized targets for DKD using the UK Biobank (UKB) and FinnGen cohorts. Among 2844 diabetic patients (528 with DKD), we identified 37 targets significantly associated with incident DKD, supported by both observational and causal evidence. Of these, 22% (8/37) of the potential targets are currently under investigation for DKD or other diseases. Our prospective study confirmed that higher levels of three prioritized targets-insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 (IGFBP4), family with sequence similarity 3 member C (FAM3C), and prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS)-were associated with a 4.35, 3.51, and 3.57-fold increased likelihood of developing DKD, respectively. In addition, population-level protein-altering variants (PAVs) analysis and in vitro experiments cross-validated FAM3C and IGFBP4 as potential new target candidates for DKD, through the classic NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)-caspase-1-gasdermin D (GSDMD) apoptotic axis. Our results demonstrate that integrating omics data mining with causal inference may be a promising strategy for prioritizing therapeutic targets.

Objective To investigate the technical capacity and service quality of occupational health technical service institutions (hereinafter referred to as "occupational health institutions") in Guangdong Province. Methods All occupational health institutions in Guangdong Province that had valid occupational health service qualifications and within the validity period were included for analysis. Data on basic information, employed personnel, and results of professional technical capacity assessments across occupational health institutions were obtained through the Guangdong Provincial Occupational Health Technical Quality Control Center. Results A total of 99 institutions with 2 732 technical staff were included in this study. Occupational health institutions in Guangdong Province were mainly distributed in the Pearl River Delta region, accounting for 87.9% (87/99) of the total. The number of public and private health institutions was 23 and 76, accounted for 23.2% and 76.8% respectively. In terms of technical personnel, the percentage of individuals worked in public or private health institutions was 24.1% and 75.9%, respectively. Personnel titles were predominantly intermediate level and no title, accounting for 38.7% and 26.4%, respectively. Individuals with a bachelor′s degree or above accounted for 67.4%. Engineering and other professionals accounted for 35.4% and 30.5%, respectively. Private institutions undertook 97.3% of testing and evaluation workload related to occupational hazard in the province. The number of occupational health institutes acquiring category Ⅰ and Ⅱ service license were 97 and 13. Among institutions participating in inter-laboratory comparisons, the overall pass rates for quantitative items were 95.5% in public and 70.3% in private institutions, while the pass rates for qualitative items were 100.0% and 94.5%, respectively. Conclusion Occupational health institutions in Guangdong Province face issues such as imbalanced regional distribution, uneven development, and insufficient technical competence and testing capacity of professional personnel. Health authorities at all levels should continue to strengthen supervision and quality control to solidify the technical foundation and comprehensively enhance service capacity and quality.

Objective To establish the diagnostic criteria for psoriasis vulgaris of spleen deficiency with dampness accumulation syndrome by using the methods of literature research,subjective experts'experience evaluation and mathematical statistical analysis together.Methods An alternative item pool of symptoms and signs related to psoriasis vulgaris of spleen deficiency with dampness accumulation syndrome was constructed on the basis of the results of literature research.A four-round questionnaire survey was carried out among 32 experts nationwide using the Delphi method,and then the concentration and coordination of the experts'opinions on each of the alternative items were analyzed.In the third round of the survey,all of diagnostic indicators were classified into primary or secondary symptoms according to the weighting coefficients of each item,and then the judgment condition options for the diagnostic criteria of the symptoms were formed.Through the fourth-round of expert survey,the diagnostic mode and diagnostic conditions of spleen deficiency with dampness accumulation syndrome were clarified.Results The alternative diagnostic indicators were screened according to the concentration degree and the variation coefficient of experts'opinions,and 24 diagnostic indicators were obtained after merging the similar indicators,of which there were three primary symptoms(poor appetite and anorexia,loose stool,and pale and swollen tongue with tooth marks)and 21 secondary symptoms(abdominal distension,tastelessness in the mouth without thirst,obesity,drowsiness,fatigue and lack of strength,thready and smooth pulse,soft pulse,undigested food in the stool,and light-red skin lesions,etc.).The fourth-round expert survey confirmed that the necessary conditions for the diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris of spleen deficiency with dampness accumulation syndrome were"the disease-location of the spleen","the disease-nature of qi deficiency"and"the disease-nature of dampness";the diagnostic criteria for psoriasis of spleen deficiency with dampness accumulation syndrome were as follows:(1)with three primary symptoms;(2)with two primary symptoms and any two of the secondary symptoms.Conclusion The diagnostic criteria for psoriasis vulgaris of spleen deficiency with dampness accumulation syndrome constructed in this study include both primary and secondary symptoms,with clarified conditions and being easy to be practiced clinically,and have good clinical credibility.

BACKGROUND:Adjustable piezoelectric effect can promote tissue regeneration and repair.Piezoelectric materials are widely used in weight-bearing tissue engineering. OBJECTIVE:To prepare a piezoelectric film material that can promote bone regeneration,and to explore its structural characterization,electrical output performance,biocompatibility,and effect of electrical output on osteogenic differentiation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS:Using poly-3-hydroxybutyrateco/4-hydroxybutyrate(P34HB)as raw material,barium calcium stannate titanate powder(Ba0.94Ca0.06Sn0.08Ti0.92O3,BCST)was added according to mass ratios of 0%,5%,10%,15%,and 20%.Dichloromethane was added to solve P34HB,and the thickness of 150-200 μm BCST/P34HB piezoelectric film was prepared by vacuum drying method.After polarization in the oil bath,the surface morphology,crystal phase composition,piezoelectric coefficient and open circuit voltage were tested.The effect of BCST/P34HB electrical output at 110 Hz and 0.25 N force on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was tested. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,water contact angle,piezoelectric coefficient and electrical output performance tests showed that when the mass ratio of BCST increased to 20%,the BCST/P34HB piezoelectric film had good piezoelectric properties(d33=5.9 pC/N)and electrical output performance(180 mV),which was closer to the suitable range of 500 mV for electrical stimulation.(2)Live and dead staining showed that on the first day of co-culture,15%group and 20%group showed less red fluorescence.On the 5th day of culture,the number of green fluorescence in each group was significantly higher than that on the first day,and the red fluorescence was not observed in the 10%,15%and 20%groups,and only a small amount of red fluorescence was observed in the 0%and 5%groups.(3)On the 1st,3rd and 5th days of co-culture with rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,Almar blue staining exhibited that the number of cells in each group showed an increasing trend with the increase of time.On the 5th day of culture,the number of cells in the 20%group was significantly more than that in the 0%group(P<0.05).(4)On day 10 of osteogenic induction,alkaline phosphatase staining results showed that the positive rate of the 20%group was significantly higher than that of the 0%group(P=0.000 1).On day 21,alizarin red staining and quantitative analysis of calcium nodules showed a similar trend to alkaline phosphatase staining.Compared with the 0%group,the 15%group and 20%group showed significant differences(P<0.01,P<0.000 1).(5)The results showed that 20%BCST/P34HB films had good piezoelectric properties,electrical output properties,biocompatibility and the ability of promoting osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.