Objective To compare the long-term survival of elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with surgical versus non-surgical treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of elderly patients aged ≥70 years with ESCC who underwent esophagectomy or radiotherapy/chemotherapy at Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2009 to September 2017. Patients were divided into a surgical group (S group) and a non-surgical group (NS group) according to the treatment method. The propensity score matching method was used to match the two groups of patients at a ratio of 1∶1, and the survival of the two groups before and after matching was analyzed. Results A total of 726 elderly patients with ESCC were included, including 552 males and 174 females, with 651 patients aged ≥70-80 years and 75 patients aged ≥80-90 years. There were 515 patients in the S group and 211 patients in the NS group. The median follow-up time was 60.8 months, and the median overall survival of the S group was 41.9 months [95%CI (35.2, 48.5)], while that of the NS group was only 24.0 months [95%CI (19.8, 28.3)]. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of the S group were 84%, 54%, and 40%, respectively, while those of the NS group were 72%, 40%, and 30%, respectively [HR=0.689, 95%CI (0.559, 0.849), P<0.001]. After matching, 138 patients were included in each group, and there was no statistical difference in the overall survival between the two groups [HR=0.871, 95%CI (0.649, 1.167), P=0.352]. Conclusion Compared with conservative treatment, there is no significant difference in the long-term survival of elderly patients aged ≥70 years who undergo esophagectomy for ESCC. Neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery is still an important choice to potentially improve the survival of elderly patients with ESCC.

Persistent left superior vena cava is a rare venous variant that is often combined with cardiovascular malformations. In thoracic surgery, especially mediastinal tumor resection, neglect of this variant may make the surgery difficult and risky, and careful preoperative imaging interpretation and adequate preoperative evaluation play an important role in the perioperative safety of the patient. In this paper, we reported a case of a 17-year-old female patient with a persistent left superior vena cava combined with mediastinal tumors. She was successfully discharged 5 days after thoracoscopic surgery, and after 3 years of postoperative follow-up, no tumor recurrence was observed.

AIM: To study the effect of recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor(re-bFGF)on cataract patients with low endothelial cell density(ECD)after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.METHODS: Prospective study. A total of 82 patients(82 eyes)with cataract and low ECD who received phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in the hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were selected and divided into observation group(41 eyes)and control group(41 eyes)by random coin tossing method. Both groups were treated with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation, and received postoperative routine treatment. The control group was administrated with recombinant human epidermal growth factor(rhEGF)eye drops(1-2 drops each time, 4 times/day)on the basis of routine treatment, while the observation group was given re-bFGF eye drops(1-2 drops each time, 4 times/day)on the basis of routine treatment, and both groups were treated continuously for 3 mo. The postoperative uncorrected visual acuity recovery, cornea-related indicators [ECD, central corneal thickness(CCT), coefficient of variation in cell area(CV), percentage of corneal endothelial hexagonal cells(HEX)], serum inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-6(IL-6)before and after surgery] and complications were compared between the two groups of patients.RESULTS: There were no differences in preoperative general data between the two groups. At 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery, the visual acuity in the two groups was improved compared with that before surgery(all P<0.05). The levels of corneal ECD and HEX in the observation group at 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery were higher than those in the control group, while the levels of CCT and CV were lower than those in the control group(all P<0.05). At 3 mo after surgery, levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in tears were lower in the observation group compared to the control group(all P<0.05). The total incidence rate of complications in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, with no statistical significance(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: The application of re-bFGF in cataract patients with low ECD after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation has good clinical value. Additionally, it can relieve the corneal injury, and reduce the burden of inflammation.

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) represents a group of genetically heterogeneous disorders characterized by mutations that lead to profound defects in both humoral and cellular immunity. Transplacental maternal engraftment (TME) is a frequently observed complication in SCID. While most cases of SCID with TME exhibit no substantial impact on disease progression, a subset of patients may encounter diagnostic delays or therapeutic challenges due to TME interference. Furthermore, TME may predispose these individuals to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, thereby increasing diagnostic complexity and treatment risks. This review systematically examines the etiology and clinical manifestations of SCID associated with TME, analyzes its implications for disease management, and evaluates current detection methodologies. The synthesized evidence provides a theoretical foundation for future research and offers potential insights into the clinical diagnosis and management of SCID associated with TME.
Humans ; Severe Combined Immunodeficiency/diagnosis* ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Maternal-Fetal Exchange/immunology* ; Graft vs Host Disease/etiology* ; Animals ; Placenta/immunology*

Objective To investigate the feasibility of a "pericardial lining" modified Bentall procedure for the treatment of patients with aortic root aneurysm. Methods This was a retrospective study that consecutively enrolled patients treated at the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, and the First People's Hospital of Guangyuan from January 2023 to February 2024. Preoperative clinical data, imaging findings (including echocardiography and CT scans of the aortic root and the entire aorta), details of coronary artery management, surgical outcomes, and postoperative follow-up results were collected. All patients underwent the "pericardial lining" modified Bentall procedure: the aortic valve was replaced, and an autologous pericardial patch was divided into three equal leaflets based on the circumference of the aortic annulus measured by a valve sizer. These leaflets were then sutured to the aortic annulus. Fenestrations were created in two of the pericardial leaflets for anastomosis with the left and right coronary ostia. The pericardial leaflets were sutured to the wall of the aortic sinuses to form an integrated structure, thereby narrowing the sinus portion. A prosthetic vascular graft was anastomosed to the proximal and distal aorta, and no aortic root-to-right atrium shunt was created. Results A total of 5 patients, aged 37 to 68 years, were included. The preoperative Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk scores ranged from 2.8% to 3.9%. The diameter of the ascending aorta was 40-73 mm, the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) was 45-71 mm, and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 47%-64%. Intraoperatively, the aortic cross-clamp time ranged from 85 to 180 min, and the cardiopulmonary bypass time ranged from 110 to 302 min. Postoperative follow-up echocardiography revealed that the ascending aortic diameter was 27-35 mm, LVEDD was 39-57 mm, and LVEF was 43%-61%. All surgeries were completed successfully with satisfactory immediate outcomes and no intraoperative complications. During the follow-up period, there was no mortality or reoperation. Conclusion For patients with aortic root aneurysm, the "pericardial lining" modified Bentall procedure yields satisfactory preliminary results, and the technique is demonstrated to be feasible.

BackgroundPostpartum depression （PPD） is a prevalent postpartum complications that significantly compromises women's psychological and physical well-being. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS）， a conventional neuromodulation technique， has been increasingly used in the treatment of PPD. However， high-quality evidence regarding its efficacy and safety remains limited. ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of rTMS in the treatment of PPD， thereby providing references for clinical treatment. MethodsDatabases including Cochrane Library， PubMed， Embase， CNKI， Wanfang， VIP and China Biology Medicine disc （CBM） were electronically searched for randomized controlled trials （RCTs） on rTMS for PPD， with the search spanning from database inception to February 8， 2025. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 5.0.1， and the certainty of evidence was graded according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment， Development and Evaluation （GRADE） approach. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0. The outcomes of the Meta-analysis included the total effective rate， Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale （EPDS） score， Hamilton Depression Rating Scale （HAMD） score， and adverse reactions （dizziness， headache， nausea， diarrhea， and the overall incidence of adverse reactions）. ResultsA total of 11 studies involving 729 patients with PPD were included. Meta-analysis results showed that the total effective rate in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group （OR=5.54， 95% CI： 3.07–10.01， P<0.01）. Both EPDS score （SMD=-2.38， 95% CI： -3.39–-1.37， P<0.01） and HAMD score （SMD=2.53， 95% CI： 1.21–3.85， P<0.01） in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group， with statistically significant differences. Comparisons between the study group and control group reveal no significant differences in the incidence of dizziness and headache （RR=1.47， 95% CI： 0.63–3.43， P>0.05）， nausea （RR=1.46， 95% CI： 0.55–3.86， P>0.05）， diarrhea （RR=0.71， 95% CI： 0.23–2.20， P>0.05）， and overall adverse reactions （RR=1.30， 95% CI： 0.79–2.15， P>0.05）. GRADE assessment rated the four indicators of dizziness and headache， diarrhea， overall incidence of adverse reactions， and EPDS score as "moderate-certainty evidence"， and rated the total effective rate， nausea， and the HAMD score as "low-certainty evidence". ConclusionrTMS demonstrates certain therapeutic efficacy for PPD， with a safety profile comparable to conventional treatment. ［Funded by Sichuan Psychological Society Research Planning Project （number， SCSXLXH202403099）； Guiding Science and Technology Plan Project of Guangyuan （number， 23ZDYF0095）］

Objective:To understand the whole genome and genetic evolution characteristics of the first epidemic influenza A (H3N2) viruses in Wuxi from 2022-2023.Methods:Real time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR method was used to perform typing on respiratory samples of influenza cases. Virus isolation was performed on samples with positive nucleic acid of subtype A H3N2 influenza virus detected. After cell culture, nucleic acid was extracted from strains with red blood cell agglutination test (HA) ≥ 1∶8, whole genome sequence was amplified, library was constructed, and computer sequencing was performed using MiSeq sequencer. Using NC_007366.1 as reference strain, the data were analyzed using CLC Genomics Workbench (Version 23) software. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA 7.0 software, and the N-glycosylation sites were predicted by NetNGlyc 1.0 Server software.Results:The nucleotide homology and amino acid homology among 35 strains of influenza A H3N2 virus from 2022 to 2023 were 96.4%-100% and 95.2%-100%, respectively. The 16 epidemic strains in 2022 belong to the 3C.2a1b.2a.1a evolutionary branch, while the 19 epidemic strains in 2023 belong to the 3C.2a1b.2a.2a.3a.1 evolutionary branch. There are 7 differences in the nucleotide sequence of the HA gene between the 2022 epidemic strain and the corresponding vaccine strain, sharing 15 mutation sites; There are 28 differences in the nucleotide sequence of the HA gene between the 2023 epidemic strain and the corresponding vaccine strain, sharing 17 mutation sites. The HA genes of 35 epidemic strains all lack N-glycosylation site 61: NSS, while in 2023, the HA genes of 19 epidemic strains added N-glycosylation site 110: NSS.Conclusions:The HA and NA genes of influenza A H3N2 virus in 2022 and 2023 belong to two evolutionary branches, respectively, and both show specific amino acid site changes compared to the corresponding vaccine strains. The antigen matching between the 2022 epidemic strain and the vaccine strain is relatively good, while there is a risk of low antigen matching between the 2023 epidemic strain and the vaccine strain.

BACKGROUND: There are few multi-city studies on the association between temperature and mortality in basin climates. This study was based on the Sichuan Basin in southwest China to assess the association of basin temperature with non-accidental mortality in the population and with the temperature-related mortality burden. METHODS: Daily mortality data, meteorological and air pollution data were collected for four cities in the Sichuan Basin of southwest China. We used a two-stage time-series analysis to quantify the association between temperature and non-accidental mortality in each city, and a multivariate meta-analysis was performed to obtain the overall cumulative risk. The attributable fractions (AFs) were calculated to access the mortality burden attributable to non-optimal temperature. Additionally, we performed a stratified analyses by gender, age group, education level, and marital status. RESULTS: A total of 751,930 non-accidental deaths were collected in our study. Overall, 10.16% of non-accidental deaths could be attributed to non-optimal temperatures. A majority of temperature-related non-accidental deaths were caused by low temperature, accounting for 9.10% (95% eCI: 5.50%, 12.19%), and heat effects accounted for only 1.06% (95% eCI: 0.76%, 1.33%). The mortality burden attributable to non-optimal temperatures was higher among those under 65 years old, females, those with a low education level, and those with an alternative marriage status. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that a significant association between non-optimal temperature and non-accidental mortality. Those under 65 years old, females, and those with a low educational level or alternative marriage status had the highest attributable burden.
Female ; Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Cities ; Cold Temperature ; Hot Temperature ; Mortality ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Middle Aged ; Male

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of Huangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome （CFS） with Qi deficiency and its effects on TCM syndromes， fatigue symptoms， serum superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and oxidized low-density lipoprotein （ox-LDL） levels. MethodA total of 200 patients with CFS of Qi deficiency were randomly divided into a control group （100 cases） and an observation group （100 cases）. The control group was treated with vitamin B compounds， and the observation group was treated with Huangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture for two weeks. The scores of TCM syndromes， fatigue symptoms， levels of serum SOD， MDA， and ox-LDL and the incidence of adverse reactions were observed and compared before and after treatment in two groups. ResultAfter treatment， the total effective rate of the control group was 54.34% （50/92）， while that of the observation group was 88.54% （85/96）. The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group （χ²=27.13，P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， scores of fatigue self-assessment scale （FSAS）， physical fatigue and mental fatigue， and sleep/rest response scores of fatigue in the two groups after treatment were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， scores of FSAS， physical fatigue and mental fatigue， and sleep/rest response scores of fatigue in the observation group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， TCM syndrome scores in the two groups after treatment were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， TCM syndrome scores in the observation group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， MDA levels in the two groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， ox-LDL levels in the observation group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and SOD levels were significantly increased （P<0.05）. After treatment， compared with those in the control group， the serum MDA and ox-LDL levels in the observation group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the serum SOD was significantly increased （P<0.05）. No serious adverse events or adverse reactions occurred during this clinical trial. ConclusionHuangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture has a good clinical curative effect in the treatment of CFS with Qi deficiency， which can effectively improve the fatigue symptoms of patients， increase the level of SOD， and reduce the level of serum MDA and ox-LDL. It is related to the production of antioxidants， inhibiting the production of lipid peroxides， and improving the body's ability to resist oxidative stress.

Objective To investigate and analyze the risk factors of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and the immunological classification of Hp-infected people in community health examination population. Methods Among of the 2 475 residents in a community who underwent health examination in Guangyuan First People's Hospital were selected between July 2022 and April 2023. Western blotting was used to detect and type the Hp antibodies. The risk factors of Hp infection in the community residents were analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis, and the results of immunological typing were compared among patients with different upper digestive tract diseases and chronic diseases. Results The Hp infection rate among of the 2 475 residents who underwent physical examination was 35.64% (882/2475), and the positive rates of type I Hp antibody and type II Hp antibody were 23.72% (587/2 475) and 11.92% (295/2 475) , respectively. There were significant differences in Hp infection rates in gender, age, smoking history, and whether or not people had diabetes (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male, age ≥60 years old, drinking history and diabetes were risk factors of Hp infection in the community health examination population (P<0.05). The positive rate of type I Hp antibody in men and patients with coronary heart disease was higher than that in women and patients without coronary heart disease (P<0.05). Conclusion The infection rate of Hp among health examination population in this community is low, mainly type I. Hp infection is affected by gender, age, drinking history and diabetes. There are more males in the population with type I Hp antibody positivity, and the risk may be higher in patients with coronary heart disease. Clinically, it is necessary to take susceptible population as the focus of prevention and treatment, and take targeted monitoring and diagnosis and treatment measures.