ObjectiveTo investigate the value of different noninvasive diagnostic models in the diagnosis of esophageal and gastric varices since there is a high risk of esophageal and gastric varices in patients with compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis and significant portal hypertension， and to provide a basis for the early diagnosis of esophageal and gastric varices. MethodsA total of 108 patients with significant portal hypertension due to compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis who attended Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from November 2017 to November 2023 were enrolled， and according to the presence or absence of esophageal and gastric varices under gastroscopy， they were divided into esophageal and gastric varices group （GOV group） and non-esophageal and gastric varices group （NGOV group）. Related data were collected， including age， sex， imaging findings， and laboratory markers. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups； the least significant difference t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of five scoring models， i.e.， fibrosis-4 （FIB-4）， LOK index， LPRI， aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index （APRI）， and aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio （AAR）. The binary logistic regression method was used to establish a combined model， and the area under the ROC curve （AUC） was compared between the combined model and each scoring model used alone. The Delong test was used to compare the AUC value between any two noninvasive diagnostic models. ResultsThere were 55 patients in the GOV group and 53 patients in the NGOV group. Compared with the NGOV group， the GOV group had a significantly higher age （52.64±1.44 years vs 47.96±1.68 years， t=0.453， P<0.05） and significantly lower levels of alanine aminotransferase ［42.00 （24.00 — 17.00） U/L vs 82.00 （46.00 — 271.00） U/L， Z=-3.065， P<0.05］， aspartate aminotransferase ［44.00 （32.00 — 96.00） U/L vs 62.00 （42.50 — 154.50） U/L，Z=-2.351， P<0.05］， and platelet count ［100.00 （69.00 — 120.00）×10⁹/L vs 119.00 （108.50 — 140.50）×10⁹/L， Z=-3.667， P<0.05］. The ROC curve analysis showed that FIB-4， LOK index， LPRI， and AAR used alone had an accuracy of 0.667， 0.681， 0.730， and 0.639， respectively， in the diagnosis of esophageal and gastric varices （all P<0.05）， and the positive diagnostic rates of GOV were 69.97%， 65.28%， 67.33%， and 58.86%， respectively， with no significant differences in AUC values （all P>0.05）， while APRI used alone had no diagnostic value （P>0.05）. A combined model （LAF） was established based on the binary logistic regression analysis and had an AUC of 0.805 and a positive diagnostic rate of GOV of 75.80%， with a significantly higher AUC than FIB-4， LOK index， LPRI， and AAR used alone （Z=-2.773，-2.479，-2.206， and-2.672， all P<0.05）. ConclusionFIB-4， LOK index， LPRI， and AAR have a similar diagnostic value for esophageal and gastric varices in patients with compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis and significant portal hypertension， and APRI alone has no diagnostic value. The combined model LAF had the best diagnostic efficacy， which provides a certain reference for clinical promotion and application.

This study investigates the mechanism by which Xintong Granules improve myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury(MIRI) through the regulation of gut microbiota and their metabolites, specifically short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs). Rats were randomly divided based on body weight into the sham operation group, model group, low-dose Xintong Granules group(1.43 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), medium-dose Xintong Granules group(2.86 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), high-dose Xintong Granules group(5.72 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and metoprolol group(10 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)). After 14 days of pre-administration, the MIRI rat model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. The myocardial infarction area was assessed using the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining method. Apoptosis in tissue cells was detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL) assay. Pathological changes in myocardial cells and colonic tissue were observed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), creatine kinase MB isoenzyme(CK-MB), and cardiac troponin T(cTnT) in rat serum were quantitatively measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) kits. The activities of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), creatine kinase(CK), and superoxide dismutase(SOD) in myocardial tissue, as well as the level of malondialdehyde(MDA), were determined using colorimetric assays. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing, and fecal SCFAs were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). The results show that Xintong Granules significantly reduced the myocardial infarction area, suppressed cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and decreased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), myocardial injury markers(CK-MB, cTnT, LDH, and CK), and oxidative stress marker MDA. Additionally, Xintong Granules significantly improved intestinal inflammation in MIRI rats, regulated gut microbiota composition and diversity, and increased the levels of SCFAs(acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, etc.). In summary, Xintong Granules effectively alleviate MIRI symptoms. This study preliminarily confirms that Xintong Granules exert their inhibitory effects on MIRI by regulating gut microbiota imbalance and increasing SCFA levels.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Rats ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Humans ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/genetics* ; Malondialdehyde/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of 3D printing spinal external fixator combined with McKenzie therapy for patients with lumbar dics herniation (LDH). METHODS: Sixty patients with LDH between January 2022 and January 2023 were enrolled. Among them, 30 patients were given McKinsey training. According to different treatment methods, all patients were divided into McKenzie group and McKenzie + 3D printing group, 30 patients in each group. The McKenzie group provided McKenzie therapy. The McKenzie + 3D printing group were treated with 3D printing spinal external fixation brace on the basis of McKenzie therapy. Patients in both groups were between 25 and 60 years of age and had their first illness. In the McKenzie group, there were 19 males and 11 females, with an average age of (48.57±5.86) years old, and the disease duration was (7.03 ±2.39) months. The McKenzie + 3D printing group, there were 21 males and 9 females, with an average age of (48.80±5.92) years old, and the disease duration was(7.30±2.56) months. Pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS), and lumbar spine function was assessed using the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. VAS, ODI and JOA scores were compared between two groups before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after treatment. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 12 months. The VAS for the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment were(6.533±0.860), (5.133±1.008), (3.933±0.868), (2.900±0.759), (2.067±0.640), (1.433±0.504), respectively. In the McKenzie group, the corresponding scores were (6.467±0.860), (5.067±1.048), (4.600±0.968), (3.533±1.008), (2.567±0.728), (1.967±0.809), respectively. The ODI of the McKenzie group before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment were (41.033±6.810)%, (37.933±6.209)%, (35.467±6.962)%, (27.567±10.081)%, (20.800±7.531)%, (13.533±5.158)%, respectively. For the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group, the corresponding ODI were(38.033±5.605)%, (33.000±6.192)%, (28.767±7.045)%, (22.200±5.517)%, (17.700±4.836)%, (11.900±2.771)%, respectively. The JOA scores of the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment were(8.900±2.074), (13.133±2.330), (15.700±3.583), (20.400±3.480), (22.267±3.084), (24.833±2.640), respectively. In the McKenzie group, the corresponding scores were(9.200±2.091), (12.267±2.406), (15.333±3.198), (18.467±2.240), (20.133±2.751), (22.467±2.849), respectively. Before the initiation of treatment, no statistically significant differences were observed in the VAS, ODI, and JOA scores between two groups (P>0.05). At 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment, the VAS in the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group was significantly lower than that in the McKenzie group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The comparison of ODI between two groups at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment revealed statistically significant differences (P<0.05). At 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment, the JOA score in the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group was significantly higher than that in the McKenzie-only group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The combination of 3D printed functional spinal external fixation brace with McKenzie therapy can significantly improve and maintain lumbar function in patients with LDH.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/surgery* ; External Fixators ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Adult ; Braces ; Treatment Outcome

ObjectiveTo investigate the core influencing factors for quality of life in patients with primary biliary cholangitis through a systematic review， and to provide an evidence-based basis for understanding such factors. MethodsThe databases including CNKI， Wanfang Data， CBM， VIP， PubMed， Embase， Web of Science， Ovid， Scopus， and Medline were searched for articles assessing the influencing factors for quality of life in patients with primary biliary cholangitis using PBC-40 scale published up to January 11， 2025. Quality assessment was conducted using the scale compiled by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality， and then a qualitative evaluation was performed for the basic situation of the studies included in the analysis. ResultsA total of 11 articles were included， and the results showed that age， sex， albumin， alkaline phosphatase， gamma-glutamyl transferase， direct bilirubin， total bilirubin， total bile acid， alanine aminotransferase， aspartate aminotransferase， body mass index， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were important influencing factors for quality of life in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. ConclusionInfluencing factors include demographic features， liver function parameters， and physical and metabolic indicators； however， due to the limited number of studies， more high-quality large-sample studies are needed in the future.

Objective The morphological and data characteristics of premature ventricular contraction(PVC)were obtained through dynamic electrocardiogram(DCG),and its correlation with new-onset major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)was analyzed.Methods A total of 115 patients with PVC admitted to Huzhou First People's Hospital from January 2022 to January 2024 were retrospectively selected and divided into MACE group(n=31)and non-MACE group(n=84)according to the new-onset MACE.Collect the baseline data of patients,as well as DCG data such as the morphological and data characteristics of PVC.Collect the baseline data of patients,as well as DCG data such as the morphological and data characteristics of PVC.Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of new-onset MACE in patients with PVC.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn to analyze the predictive value of influencing factors for the risk of new-onset MACE in patients with PVC.Results There were statistically significant differences in gender,disease duration,QRS wave duration,PVC origin,PVC load,and Lown classification between two groups of patients(P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that QRS wave duration(OR=1.070),PVC origin(OR=6.840)and PVC load(OR=2.583)were independent risk factors for new-onset MACE in PVC patients(P＜0.05).The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve for predicting new-onset MACE in PVC patients with QRS wave duration,PVC origin,and PVC load were 0.791,0.750,and 0.917 respectively.The predictive value of PVC load was the highest.Conclusion QRS wave duration,PVC origin and PVC load are related to new-onset MACE in PVC patients,and PVC load has a good predictive effect on the risk of new-onset MACE in PVC patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect of thrombocytopenia and coagulation dysfunction on bleeding complications in patients undergoing percutaneous liver biopsy.Methods:The clinical, laboratory, and demographic data of patients undergoing percutaneous liver biopsy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from January 2005 to January 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of bleeding was recorded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the effects of thrombocytopenia and coagulation dysfunction on the risk of postoperative bleeding. Furthermore, we assessed the bleeding risk in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.Results:A total of 2 885 liver perforations were performed in 2 364 patients, 98.4% of whom had an autoimmune liver disease. There were 27 cases of postoperative bleeding (0.9%). The univariate logistic regression analysis showed that platelet count (PLT)( P<0.05, OR=0.975), coagulation dysfunction (international normalized ratio; INR)( P<0.05, OR=6.954), and cirrhosis ( P<0.05, OR=3.857) were associated with bleeding. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PLT was an independent risk factor for bleeding ( P<0.05, OR=0.975). PLT scores of 40×10 9/L and 65×10 9/L can classify the bleeding risk of patients with thrombocytopenia into high, medium, and low risk. There was no difference in the risk of bleeding between the 40×10 9/L0.05, χ2=0.10). The risk of bleeding in the 31×10 9/L≤PLT≤40×10 9/L group was higher than that in the 40×10 9/L0.05, χ2=0.10). Furthermore, the bleeding cases were considered mild as the bleeding stopped after pressure hemostasis. Conclusions:PLT is an independent risk factor for bleeding after hepatocentesis. When the PLT is >40×10 9/L, hepatocentesis can still be performed safely with appropriate management measures.

Objective:To evaluate the quality of information on autoimmune liver disease in videos on the TikTok short video platform.Methods:The keyword "autoimmune liver disease" was used to search the top 200 videos on TikTok in the default sorting order. Using the DISCERN video quality assessment tool and the structured content integrity evaluation tool, we assessed the quality of the information in each video in relation to the pertinent disease guidelines. Furthermore, we investigated any relationships between the quality of the videos and their characteristics (likes, comments, retweets, days and duration of uploading).Results:A total of 140 videos were included, 96.4% of which were provided by medical professionals. The content completeness scores for each dimension were as follows: definition, 1.0 (0.0, 1.0); symptoms, 0.0 (0.0, 1.0); risk factors, 0.0 (0.0, 0.5); assessment, 0.5 (0.0, 1.5); management, 0.5 (0.0, 1.0); and outcome, 0.0 (0.0, 1.0). Furthermore, 91.4% of videos with DISCERN scores of ≤50 were of "fair" quality or below. Additionally, the difference in DISCERN scores between videos from different publishers was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The number of likes, comments, favorites, retweets, and video duration had a strong positive correlation with the overall DISCERN score ( r=0.17, 0.18, 0.25, 0.26, 0.44, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The overall quality of videos related to autoimmune liver disease on the TikTok video platform is low. Therefore, publishers should focus on the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the information. Additionally, the TikTok platform should optimize its video review mechanism to provide the public with more accurate and reliable health information.

Objective To explore the value of ventricular response(VR)on ambulatory electrocardio-graphy in evaluating atrial fibrillation conversion in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation(PAF).Meth-ods Used 3-lead Holter monitor to collect complete data for more than 3 hours before atrial fibrillation con-version.The irregular heart rates recorded 5 minutes(VR0-5 min),60-65 minutes(VR60-65 min),and 120-125 minutes(VR120-125 min)prior to atrial fibrillation conversion were designated as VR values.The average heart rates of the 10 consecutive fastest and slowest heartbeats were calculated as the maximum and minimum VR values,respectively,while the average heart rate during the entire atrial fibrillation episode was taken as the mean VR value.Atrial fibrillation conversions occurring 06:00-21:59 were classified as daytime events,and those occurring 22:00-05:59(the following day)were classified as nighttime events.The effects of gender differences and circadian rhythm variations on VR values before atrial fibrillation conversion were analyzed.Additionally,the low-frequency power(LF),high-frequency power(HF),and their ratio(LF/HF)were ob-tained 5 minutes,60-65 minutes,and 120-125 minutes before atrial fibrillation conversion,and differences in LF,HF,and LF/HF at these time points were analyzed.Results The minimum VR0-5 min before cardioversion of atrial fibrillation was significantly higher than the minimum VR60-65 min and the minimum VR120-125 min(P＜0.05).The maximum VR0-5 min was significantly higher than VR120-125 min(P＜0.05).The minimum VR0-5 min in male group and female group was significantly higher than the minimum VR60-65 min and the minimum VR120-125min before atrial fibrillation reverted(P＜0.05).Of the 86 patients in this study,51 patients(59.30％)experienced daytime events,and the remaining 35 patients(40.70％)experienced nighttime e-vents.The data showed that the minimum VR0-5 min of daytime events was significantly higher than the mini-mum VR60-65 min and the minimum VR120-125 min(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference between the minimum VR0-5 min and the minimum VR60-s5 min and the minimum VR120-125 min(P＞0.05).One-way repeated analysis of variance showed that the longitudinal differences of HF,LF and LF/HF ratio before cardioversion of atrial fibrillation were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion The increase of VR value may predict imminent cardioversion in PAF patients,particularly for those experiencing daytime events.

A novel analytical method was developed in this study by combining online solid phase extraction with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(Online SPE-UPLC-MS/MS)for simultaneous determination of 50 kinds of steroid hormones in surface water.Specifically,after high-speed centrifugation of 4 mL water samples,the supernatant was directly injected into an Oasis HLB online SPE column for enrichment and purification.Subsequently,the target compounds were transferred to the analytical column via valve switching for separation and analysis.The chromatographic separation was performed on a Thermo Acclaim RSLC C18 column(100 mm×2.1 mm,2.2 μm),using a mobile phase composed of 5 mmol/L ammonium fluoride aqueous solution and acetonitrile.Mass spectrometric detection was conducted in positive ion mode,utilizing multiple reaction monitoring(MRM)with quantification achieved by the internal standard method.The method validation demonstrated that the limits of detection(LOD)for the 50 kinds of steroid hormones ranged from 0.02 to 0.50 ng/L,while the limits of quantification(LOQ)were between 0.08 and 1.67 ng/L.The average recoveries in surface water samples at spiked concentrations of 5,20 and 200 ng/L were between 74.1％and 119％,with relative standard deviations(RSDs)of 0.2％to 9.9％.This method was applied to analyze 11 surface water samples collected from sites surrounding a pharmaceutical and chemical industrial park.A total of 44 kinds of steroid hormones were detected,with concentrations ranging from 0.11 to 88.6 ng/L,revealing the presence of hormone contamination in the environmental waters surrounding industrial areas.Compared with the traditional offline SPE methods,the proposed online SPE technique significantly reduced sample volume requirements and pretreatment time,while minimizing the loss of target compounds during the pretreatment process.Moreover,compared to reported online SPE techniques,this method achieved high-throughput analysis of multiple classes of steroid hormones,with lower detection limits and higher recoveries.Overall,this method provided rapid sample preparation,high sensitivity,and excellent stability,making it suitable for the direct analysis of trace steroid hormones in surface water.

Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) is a critical endocrine mediator implicated in male reproductive physiology. To investigate the correlation between IGF2 protein levels and various aspects of male infertility, specifically focusing on sperm quality, inflammation, and DNA damage, a cohort of 320 male participants was recruited from the Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (Hangzhou, China) between 1 st January 2024 and 1 st March 2024. The relationship between IGF2 protein concentrations and sperm parameters was assessed, and Spearman correlation and linear regression analysis were employed to evaluate the independent associations between IGF2 protein levels and risk factors for infertility. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure IGF2 protein levels in seminal plasma, alongside markers of inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin-1β [IL-1β]). The relationship between seminal plasma IGF2 protein levels and DNA damage marker phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) was also explored. Our findings reveal that IGF2 protein expression decreased notably in patients with asthenospermia and teratospermia. Correlation analysis revealed nuanced associations between IGF2 protein levels and specific sperm parameters, and low IGF2 protein concentrations correlated with increased inflammation and DNA damage in sperm. The observed correlations between IGF2 protein levels and specific sperm parameters, along with its connection to inflammation and DNA damage, underscore the importance of IGF2 in the broader context of male reproductive health. These findings lay the groundwork for future research and potential therapeutic interventions targeting IGF2-related pathways to enhance male fertility.
Humans ; Male ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II/metabolism* ; Infertility, Male/genetics* ; DNA Damage ; Adult ; Inflammation/metabolism* ; Spermatozoa/metabolism* ; Semen Analysis ; Semen/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism*