Objective To observe the value of machine learning(ML)models constructed based on pre-treatment clinical and CT features for predicting acute liver function deterioration(ALFD)in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients after the first time TACE.Methods Totally 320 HCC patients who underwent the first TACE were retrospectively enrolled and divided into training set(n=256)and test set(n=64)at the ratio of 4∶1.ALFD was evaluated according to clinical,laboratory and image findings within 2 weeks after TACE.Univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical baseline data and diameter of HCC on pre-TACE CT in training set,and parameters being statistical different between patients with and without ALFD were used to construct ML models using 9 different ML algorithms.The efficacy of each model for predicting ALFD in test set was evaluated,and the optimal model was selected.The calibration degree and clinical value of the optimal model were assessed in test set,and the contribution of each parameter was analyzed using SHAP method.Results In training set,76 cases were ALFD and 180 cases were non-ALFD,while in test set,18 cases were ALFD and 46 cases were non-ALFD.Among 9 ML models,the sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,area under the curve,F1 value and Kappa value of extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)model in test set was 85.12%,89.34%,88.08%,0.927,0.811 and 0.725,respectively.XGBoost model was considered as the optimal one,with predicted probability in test set in good agreement with actual probability and high clinical net benefit.The contribution of patients'age,lesion diameter on pre-TACE CT,glutamic-pyruvic transaminase,glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and TACE time were all great for XGBoost model.Conclusion XGBoost model based on pre-treatment clinical and CT features could be used to effectively predict ALFD in HCC patients after the first time TACE.

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that massage can reduce blood sugar,promote myogenic factor expression,and increase skeletal muscle content.The extracellular matrix is an important component of skeletal muscle,and association between massage and extracellular matrix and their mechanism of action are still unclear.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of massage on extracellular matrix collagen deposition in type 2 diabetic sarcopenia rats.METHODS:Totally 24 Wistar male rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,and massage group.High-fat diet combined with the streptozotocin method was used to establish a type 2 diabetes mellitus and sarcopenia model.After successful model establishment,the massage group used abdominal massage combined with hind limbs.After 8 weeks of treatment,the fasting blood glucose and serum insulin levels of the rats were measured.The skeletal muscle mass was detected by dual-energy X-ray.The exhaustion time was measured by small animal treadmill.The sliding angle was measured by inclined board test.The pathological changes of skeletal muscle tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The skeletal muscle collagen deposition was observed by Masson staining.The mRNA and protein expressions of type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ collagen in skeletal muscle were detected by qPCR and western blot assay.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the model group,the blood glucose(P＜0.05)and serum insulin(P＜0.01)decreased in the massage group.(2)Compared with the model group,the skeletal muscle mass,running exhaustion time,and the angle of inclined plate experiment were increased in massage group(P＜0.05).(3)Compared with the model group,the skeletal muscles of the massage group were arranged neatly,muscle atrophy was improved,and collagen fiber deposition was reduced.(4)Compared with the model group,the expression levels of type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ collagen mRNA and protein in skeletal muscle were decreased in the massage group(P＜0.05).(5)The results suggest that massage can enhance insulin sensitivity,lower blood sugar,improve skeletal muscle mass,strength and function,and diminish collagen deposition in rats with type 2 diabetes,and may be a potential target for massage to exert its therapeutic effects.

Objective To investigate the differences in neurite density index(NDI),neurite orientation dispersion index(ODI),and volume fraction of isotropic water molecule(Viso)of subcutaneous white matter fiber tracts in patients with cerebral small ves-sel disease(CSVD),and the effect of the glymphatic system(GS)on NDI,ODI,and Viso values of white matter fiber tracts in patients with CSVD.Methods A total of 69 CSVD patients(CSVD group)were retrospectively selected.All patients underwent conventional plain MRI scans[3D-T1,T2WI,3D-T2 fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR)],spin echo-echo planar imaging(SE-EPI),and susceptibility weighted imaging(SWI)scans.The NDI,ODI,and Viso values of 29 white matter fiber tracts in the brain were meas-ured using post-processing software.Thirty-five healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group,and the independent sample t test was used to compare the differences of NDI,ODI,and Viso values between the two groups.Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between along the perivascular space(ALPS)index and NDI,ODI,and Viso values of 29 white matter fiber tracts in CSVD patients.Results Compared with control group,CSVD group showed a statistically significant increase in Viso values in 26 white matter fiber tracts and decrease in NDI values in 14 white matter fiber tracts(PFDR<0.05).In multiple linear regression,the decrease of ALPS index in CSVD patients was found to be statistically different from that of NDI values in certain white matter fiber tracts(PFDR<0.05)and primarily located in the frontal and temporal lobes.Conclusion Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging(NODDI)technology is more effective in identifying the biological differences,which impact the integrity of white matter fiber tracts in patients with CSVD.Furthermore,it reflects the pathophysiological changes of the brain GS on different white matter fiber tracts in CSVD patients.This provides valuable insights for recognizing the clinical manifestations of CSVD and developing appropri-ate treatment plans.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of intraoperative regional lymph-adenectomy and extended lymphadenectomy in resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods:The propensity score matching and retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 187 patients of hilar cholangiocarcinoma who were admitted to Henan University People′s Hospital from January 2014 to January 2018 were collected. There were 105 males and 82 females, aged (57±9)years. Of the 187 patients, 62 patients undergoing hilar cholangiocarcinoma resection with extended lymphadenectomy were divided into the extended group, and 125 patients under-going hilar cholangiocarcinoma resection with regional lymphadenectomy were divided into the regional group. Observation indicators:(1) propensity score matching status and comparison of clinical data of patients between the two groups after matching; (2) intraoperative and postoperative conditions; (3) follow-up. Comparison of measurement data with normal distribu-tion between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Comparison of measurement data with skewed distribution between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Comparison of count data between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the rank sum test. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot calculate survival rate and survival curve. The Log-rank test was used for survival analysis. Propen-sity score matching was performed using the 1∶1 nearest neighbor matching method, with the caliper value of 0.1. Results:(1) Propen-sity score matching status and comparison of clinical data of patients between the two groups after matching. Of the 187 patients, 104 patients were success-fully matched, with 52 cases in each of the extended group and the regional group. After propensity score matching, the elimination of tumor diameter, neural invasion, Bismuth classification, and TNM staging confounding bias ensured comparability. (2) Intraoperative and postoperative conditions. After pro-pensity score matching, the operation time of the extended group was (341±83)minutes, the number of lymph node dissected was 12.3±4.5, the number of positive lymph node dissected was 2.2±0.7, cases of postoperative new lymphadenectasis was 17. The above indicators of the regional group were (311±73)minutes, 9.2±3.4, 1.5±0.5, 44, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indica-tors between patients of the two groups ( t=-1.99, -3.92, -5.57, χ2=31.18, P<0.05). (3) Follow-up. After propensity score matching, all 104 patients were followed up after surgery, with the follow-up time of 29(range, 3-49)months. The postoperative 3-year overall survival rate was 44.2% of the extended group, versus 30.8% of the regional group, showing a significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=4.41, P<0.05). Conclusions:The perioperative safety of regional lymphadenec-tomy and extended lymphadenectomy in the radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma are com-parable. Extended lymphadenectomy can increase the number of positive lymph node detected and improve the postoperative survival rate of patients.

Objective To compare the distribution characteristics of retinal capillary non-perfusion areas(NPAs)across different layers and regions in patients with neovascular glaucoma(NVG)secondary to proliferative diabetic retinop-athy(PDR)versus those with PDR alone through wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography(SS-OCTA)and to analyze the impacts of NPAs on the development of NVG.Methods This prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 33 patients with PDR(33 eyes,the PDR group)and 30 patients with NVG(30 eyes,the PDR+NVG group)diag-nosed at Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University(formerly Weifang Medical University)from January 2022 to June 2023.The fundus examination was performed using SS-OCTA,and the NPA boundaries of the superficial capil-lary plexus(SCP)and deep capillary plexus(DCP)of the retina were manually delimited with the aid of ImageJ.The reti-na was divided based on two methods.Specifically,according to different concentric circles,the retina could be divided in-to the foveal area,parafoveal area,perifoveal area,annulus6-9,annulus9-12,annulus12-retinal boundary;besides,the ret-ina could also be divided into four quadrants(supratemporal,infratemporal,supranasal,and infranasal quadrants)based on the horizontal and vertical lines centered on the macular fovea.Based on that,the NPA area and ischemia index(ISI)in each layer and subdivision of the two groups of patients were counted.Additionally,the NPA and ISI in different concentric circles and different quadrants of the SCP and DCP were compared between the two groups.Moreover,the distribution characteristics of NPAs as well as the effect of NPAs on NVG were analyzed.Results(1)The NPA area and ISI in the DCP were larger than those in the SCP in both groups(all P＜0.001);the NPA area and ISI in the SCP and DCP of patients in the PDR+NVG group were larger than those in the PDR group(all P＜0.001).(2)In the supratemporal,infratemporal,supranasal,and infranasal quadrants,the NPA area and ISI in the SCP and DCP of patients in the PDR+NVG group were larger than those in the PDR group(all P＜0.01).The NPA area in the inferotemporal quadrant was the largest in the SCP and DCP,respectively,within each group(all P＜0.01).(3)The differences in the NPA area and ISI between the two groups were statistically significant in the annulus6-9,annulus9-12,and annulus12-retinal boundary in the SCP and DCP(all P＜0.01).The differences in the NPA area and ISI were statistically significant between different annular subdivisions in the SCP and DCP within each group(all P＜0.001).The multiple comparison results showed that the NPA area and ISI of the annulus12-retinal boundary in the SCP and DCP were larger than those in other annuli in both groups(all P＜0.05).The NPA area and ISI of the annulus9-12 were larger than those of the parafoveal and perifoveal areas;the NPA area and ISI of the annulus6-9 were larger than those of the parafoveal area(all P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant differ-ence in the NPA area and ISI in the remaining annuli(all P＞0.05).(4)The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the NPA area and ISI in the subnasal quadrant of the SCP were negatively correlated with the risk of NVG sec-ondary to PDR(P=0.036 and 0.038).The increased NPA area and ISI in the subnasal quadrant of the DCP were risk fac-tors for NVG secondary to PDR,and they may increase the risk of NVG(P=0.029 and 0.028).Conclusion The in-creased NPA area and ISI in the subnasal quadrant of the DCP were risk factors for secondary NVG in patients in the PDR group.

Objective To compare the distribution characteristics of retinal capillary non-perfusion areas(NPAs)across different layers and regions in patients with neovascular glaucoma(NVG)secondary to proliferative diabetic retinop-athy(PDR)versus those with PDR alone through wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography(SS-OCTA)and to analyze the impacts of NPAs on the development of NVG.Methods This prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 33 patients with PDR(33 eyes,the PDR group)and 30 patients with NVG(30 eyes,the PDR+NVG group)diag-nosed at Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University(formerly Weifang Medical University)from January 2022 to June 2023.The fundus examination was performed using SS-OCTA,and the NPA boundaries of the superficial capil-lary plexus(SCP)and deep capillary plexus(DCP)of the retina were manually delimited with the aid of ImageJ.The reti-na was divided based on two methods.Specifically,according to different concentric circles,the retina could be divided in-to the foveal area,parafoveal area,perifoveal area,annulus6-9,annulus9-12,annulus12-retinal boundary;besides,the ret-ina could also be divided into four quadrants(supratemporal,infratemporal,supranasal,and infranasal quadrants)based on the horizontal and vertical lines centered on the macular fovea.Based on that,the NPA area and ischemia index(ISI)in each layer and subdivision of the two groups of patients were counted.Additionally,the NPA and ISI in different concentric circles and different quadrants of the SCP and DCP were compared between the two groups.Moreover,the distribution characteristics of NPAs as well as the effect of NPAs on NVG were analyzed.Results(1)The NPA area and ISI in the DCP were larger than those in the SCP in both groups(all P＜0.001);the NPA area and ISI in the SCP and DCP of patients in the PDR+NVG group were larger than those in the PDR group(all P＜0.001).(2)In the supratemporal,infratemporal,supranasal,and infranasal quadrants,the NPA area and ISI in the SCP and DCP of patients in the PDR+NVG group were larger than those in the PDR group(all P＜0.01).The NPA area in the inferotemporal quadrant was the largest in the SCP and DCP,respectively,within each group(all P＜0.01).(3)The differences in the NPA area and ISI between the two groups were statistically significant in the annulus6-9,annulus9-12,and annulus12-retinal boundary in the SCP and DCP(all P＜0.01).The differences in the NPA area and ISI were statistically significant between different annular subdivisions in the SCP and DCP within each group(all P＜0.001).The multiple comparison results showed that the NPA area and ISI of the annulus12-retinal boundary in the SCP and DCP were larger than those in other annuli in both groups(all P＜0.05).The NPA area and ISI of the annulus9-12 were larger than those of the parafoveal and perifoveal areas;the NPA area and ISI of the annulus6-9 were larger than those of the parafoveal area(all P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant differ-ence in the NPA area and ISI in the remaining annuli(all P＞0.05).(4)The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the NPA area and ISI in the subnasal quadrant of the SCP were negatively correlated with the risk of NVG sec-ondary to PDR(P=0.036 and 0.038).The increased NPA area and ISI in the subnasal quadrant of the DCP were risk fac-tors for NVG secondary to PDR,and they may increase the risk of NVG(P=0.029 and 0.028).Conclusion The in-creased NPA area and ISI in the subnasal quadrant of the DCP were risk factors for secondary NVG in patients in the PDR group.

Objective To investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of apatinib mesylate combined with gemcitabine+cisplatin(GC)and camrelizumab in the treatment of advanced gallbladder cancer,and to provide evidence for the clinical treatment of patients with advanced gallbladder cancer.Methods A total of 75 patients with advanced gallbladder cancer admitted to Henan Provincial People's Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2022 to December 2023 were retrospectively included.According to treatment plans,they were divided into study group(apatinib mesylate combined with GC+camrelizumab)and control group(GC+camrelizumab).The 1-year survival rate,objective response rate(ORR),disease control rate(DCR),progression-free survival(PFS),overall survival(OS),and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Inter-group comparisons were performed using the chi-square test/Fisher's exact test,the t-test,and the Mann-Whitney U test for categorical data,continuous data in normal distribution,and continuous data in non-normal distribution,respectively.The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated and compared using the log-rank test.Results The ORR and DCR of the study group were 35.0%and 80.0%,respectively,which were not significantly different from those of the control group(bothP>0.05).The 1-year survival rate of the study group differed significantly from that of the control group(45.0%vs 20.0%,P<0.05).The median PFS was 7.73(95%confidence interval[CI]:4.39-11.01)months in the study group and 4.17(95%CI:3.48-4.85)months in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.01).The median OS was 11.77(95%CI:8.07-15.47)months in the study group and 7.97(95%CI:5.84-10.09)months in the control group,which were not statistically significant(P>0.05).Across all grades of adverse reactions,the study group showed significantly higher incidence rates of hand-foot syndrome(62.5%vs 34.3%,χ2=5.945,P<0.05)and elevated blood pressure(42.5%vs 20.0%,χ2=4.343,P<0.05)than the control group.There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of adverse reactions of grade Ⅲ or above between the two groups(all P>0.05).Conclusion Apatinib mesylate combined with GC+camrelizumab is superior to GC+camrelizumab in prolonging the PFS but not in terms of the OS,with controllable toxic side effects,which is a safe and effective treatment regimen.

Objective: To analyze the bioinformatics of domestic Clostridium difficile toxin B(TcdB) and prepare it to provide data support for the development of effective vaccines. Methods: Using bioinformatics software such as Snippy, Blast, Muscle, and the dist.alignment() and hclust() functions in R, 1 355 strains of Clostridium difficile from NCBI GenBank in China were compared and analyzed, and TcdB were grouped. The maximum likelihood tree and phylogenetic tree were beautified and displayed using iTOL. An online bioinformatics analysis website was used to predict and analyze the spatial structure and antigenic epitopes of the two largest subgroups, TcdB1 and TcdB2. The antigen protein TcdB was expressed and purified by prokaryotic system. Results: According to the genotype of toxin B, the 1 355 prevalent strains of Clostridium difficile in China could be roughly divided into 12 subtypes, among which TcdB1 and TcdB2 were the main subtypes, accounting for more than 93.94% of all isolated strains, and about 17.20% of the strains were nontoxigenic or lack TcdB. The antigen epitope prediction of TcdB1 and TcdB2 showed that their antigen epitope distributions were basically the same, and many of them were distributed outside the C-terminal combined repetitive oligopeptides domains. Conclusion A specialized typing system for C. difficile TcdB in China has been established, and its main subtypes have been predicted for antigenic epitopes. The screened TcdB has been expressed for recombinant preparation.

With the continuous advancement and innovation in medical equipment technology, the transition between high-flow oxygen therapy, non-invasive ventilation, and invasive ventilation can be easily achieved by adjusting the ventilation mode of ventilators. During the weaning phase for tracheotomized patients, it is necessary to disconnect the ventilator circuit, change the ventilator mode, and gradually extend the weaning time to achieve complete ventilator liberation. During the weaning process, due to patients' excessive dependence on the ventilator, there may be situations where respiratory endpoints and Y-connectors of the ventilator are reconnected for invasive ventilation. However, during the weaning process, the Y-connector and expiratory end connectors are exposed to the air, which cannot ensure the tightness of the ventilator circuit, easily increasing the probability of ventilator circuit contamination and subsequently the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). To overcome these issues, the research team of department of critical care medicine of Zhongda Hospital Southeast University has designed a ventilator circuit interface protective device for weaning and has obtained a National Utility Model Patent of China (ZL 2023 2 1453385.8). The main body of the protective device is a Y-connector plug, consisting of multiple components, including a sealing piece, a protective cover, a sealing plug, an interface 1 (connects with the patient's tracheal tube), an interface 2 (connects with the respiratory branch of the ventilator), and an interface 3 (connects with the expiratory branch of the ventilator), featuring a unique design and easy operation. During the patient's weaning training process, the interface 1 and interface 2 is disconnected from the patient's tracheal tube and respiratory branch, respectively. The interface 1 is plugged with a stopper, and the interface 2 is covered with a protective cover to ensure the tightness of the expiratory branch and Y-connector of the ventilator. During the period when the patient is using the ventilator, the protective cover and plug are removed, and connecting them together ensures the tightness of the device itself, reducing the incidence of VAP caused by ventilator circuit contamination, avoiding nosocomial infections, and shortening the prolonged use of invasive ventilation, increased complication rate, extended hospital stay, and increased medical cost associated with weaning.
Humans ; Ventilator Weaning/methods* ; Equipment Design ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Respiration, Artificial/instrumentation* ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated/prevention & control*

AIM: To investigate the influence of relevant inflammatory markers in peripheral blood on the progression of neovascular glaucoma(NVG)secondary to diabetic retinopathy(DR)patients.METHODS: Retrospective case-control study. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence or absence of NVG: those with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)alone(PDR group, n=148)and those with NVG secondary to PDR(NVG secondary to PDR group, n=142). Peripheral blood inflammatory markers were evaluated, including white blood cell-related indices, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio(MLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index(SII). The distinctions in peripheral blood inflammatory markers between the two groups of patients and their relationships with NVG secondary to PDR were analyzed.RESULTS:No statistically significant differences were observed in basic characteristics between the two groups, confirming their comparability. However, significant differences were found in eosinophil percentage and MLR between the PDR group and the NVG secondary to PDR group(all P<0.05), with both values being significantly higher in the NVG secondary to PDR group. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that the eosinophil percentage and the MLR were factors influencing the development of patients with NVG secondary to PDR.CONCLUSION: Eosinophil percentage and MLR may be associated with the progression of PDR to NVG, and could serve as potential predictive markers for NVG development in PDR patients.