Objective To explore the causal relationship between immune cells and heart failure (HF), and the mediating role of serum metabolites, in order to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Methods We employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis method based on genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, analyzing the direct and indirect effects of 731 types of immune cells and 1 400 metabolites on HF. We selected valid instrumental variables and conducted statistical analyses using R software. The primary analysis was performed using the inverse variance weighted method, supplemented by MR-Egger analysis and weighted median method. The stability of the results was assessed through tests such as Cochran’s Q test. Results Our research found a negative causal relationship between PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ and HF. Sensitivity analysis supported this result. The reverse MR analysis did not find an effect of HF on PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+, indicating that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might play a unidirectional role in reducing the risk of HF. Further mediation MR analysis showed that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might influence the risk of HF onset by regulating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), with a mediation effect ratio of 6.7%. Conclusion PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ may reduce the risk of HF by elevating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), which provides a new perspective for understanding the pathogenesis of HF.

The inflammatory microenvironment is closely associated with the initiation and progression of osteoarthritis （OA）， specifically manifesting as macrophage activation， dysregulation of inflammatory cytokines， and redox imbalance. Following an overview of the pathological characteristics of the OA inflammatory microenvironment， this paper reviews the research progress on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） intervening in OA by modulating the inflammatory microenvironment. It has been found that TCM monomers/active ingredients （such as total alkaloids from Strychnos nux-vomica ， quercetin， triptolide， etc.）， herb pairs （e.g. Angelica pubescens - Gentiana macrophylla ， Carthami Flos-Lycopodii Herba）， and TCM formulas （such as Zhuanggu jianxi formula， Duhuo jisheng decoction and Rongjin niantong formula， etc.） can inhibit macrophage activation， reduce the release of proinflammatory cytokines and the generation of reactive oxygen species by inhibiting multiple signaling pathways， including nuclear factor-κB， Wnt/ β -catenin， and mitogen-activated protein kinase， thereby alleviating the articular inflammatory microenvironment， restoring local joint homeostasis， and slowing the progression of OA.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of digital 3D technology assisted and traditional one-hole split endoscopic surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative scoliosis(LSS-DS).Methods Clinical data of 42 patients with LSS-DS who underwent one-hole split endoscopic surgery from January 2022 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,20 cases were treated with digital 3D technology assisted one-hole split endoscopic surgery(3D group),and 22 cases were treated with traditional one-hole split endoscopic surgery(traditional group).The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,lateral articular surface preservation rate,Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)of lower extremity pain,Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)and modified MacNab criteria at the last follow-up were compared between the two groups.Results Both groups of patients were operated successfully.The operation time of the 3D group and the traditional group was(73.3±24.0)min and(65.7±23.8)min,respectively,with no significant difference(t=1.020,P=0.314).The intraoperative blood loss was(65.3±14.7)ml and(66.7±17.1)ml,respectively,with no significant difference(t=-0.298,P=0.767).The retention rate of lateral articular surface in the 3D group[(88.2±6.3)%]was significantly higher than that in the traditional group[(82.7±4.6)%,t=3.201,P=0.003].One patient in the traditional group had dural tear and was cured after conservative treatment.There were 3 cases of calf muscle venous thrombosis in the 3D group and 4 cases in the traditional group.All the 7 patients were given anticoagulant therapy and appropriately delayed time of ambulation.In the3D group,20 cases were followed up for6-13 months,with a mean of(8.2±2.0)months;in the traditional group,22 cases were followed up for 6-12 months,with a mean of(7.7±1.7)months.According to the modified MacNab criteria,the excellent and good rate was 95.0%(19/20)in the 3D group and 90.1%(20/22)in the traditional group at the last follow-up,and there was no significant difference between the two groups(Z=-0.311,P=0.756).The VAS score and ODI of the two groups were significantly improved at 3 months and 6 months after operation(all P=0.000),but there was no significant difference between the two groups at each time point(P>0.05).Conclusion The short-term efficacy of digital 3D technology assisted one-hole split endoscopic surgery in the treatment of LSS-DS is definite,and the symptoms of patients are significantly improved.

Objective:To investigate the effects of preoperative enteral nutrition on nutrition-related complications and gastrointestinal function in esophageal cancer patients by administering EN before surgery.Methods:A total of 215 patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy at Nanjing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2018 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Among them, 145 patients received enteral nutrition preconditioning, while 70 patients received traditional nutritional support. The nutritional risk was assessed according to the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002), and the patients were categorized into non-nutritional risk group (NRS2002<3) and nutritional risk group (NRS2002≥3). Patients in the traditional nutritional support group with NRS2002<3 were provided with a regular diet three days prior to surgery, whereas those with NRS2002≥3 received intravenous fat emulsion amino acid glucose for nutritional support. In the enteral nutrition preconditioning group, patients with NRS2002<3 received 500 mL/d of enteral nutrition suspension orally in addition to their regular diet for 3 days preoperatively; those with NRS2002≥3 received received 1000 mL/d of enteral nutrition suspension orally or via gastric tube. Postoperative hospital stay, time to gas passage and defecation, hospital expenses, gastrointestinal dysfunction incidence including diarrhea, abdominal distension and constipation, postoperative routine blood indicators, anastomotic fistula occurrence as well as infectious complications such as pneumonia and wound infection were compared between groups. Measurement data with normal distribution was expressed as Mean±SD, independent sample t-test was used on comparison between groups. Counting data was expressed as case(%), χ2 test was used on comparison between groups, P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results:The incidence of anastomotic leakage and infectious complications in the enteral nutrition pre-adaptation group was 4.83% (7/145) and 4.83% (7/145), respectively, showing no statistically significant differences compared to the traditional nutrition support group [2.86% (2/70) and 8.57% (6/70)] ( χ2=0.46 and 1.16, P=0.499 and 0.280, respectively). The incidences of gastrointestinal dysfunction and overall complications in the enteral nutrition pre-adaptation group were 5.52% (8/145) and 13.10% (19/145), respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the traditional nutrition support group [37.14% (26/70) and 45.71% (32/70)] ( χ2=35.47 and 27.75, both P<0.001). Postoperative outcomes in the enteral nutrition pre-adaptation group, including hospital stay (14.05±3.75 days), time to first flatus (25.75±5.03 hours), time to first defecation (49.25±5.98 hours), and hospitalization costs (85,200±13,500 CNY), were significantly better than those in the traditional nutrition support group [(16.46±4.79 days, 31.53±6.55 hours, 63.45±11.43 hours, and 93,500±20,100 CNY)] ( t=3.70, 6.52, 9.77, and 3.17, all P<0.001). No significant differences were observed in routine postoperative blood tests between the two groups (all P>0.05). Stratified analysis revealed that among patients with preoperative nutritional risk, the enteral nutrition pre-adaptation group demonstrated superior outcomes in hospitalization costs (82,300±11,000 CNY), time to first flatus (26.17±5.69 hours), time to first defecation (50.31±5.59 hours), overall complication rate (15.79%), and gastrointestinal dysfunction rate (7.89%) compared to the traditional nutrition support group [100,800±28,800 CNY, 31.42±6.29 hours, 60.80±9.89 hours, 54.55%, and 40.91%] ( t=2.89, P=0.008; t=3.32, P=0.002; t=4.57, P<0.001; χ2=9.97, P=0.002; χ2=9.49, P=0.002). Similarly, among patients without preoperative nutritional risk, the enteral nutrition pre-adaptation group showed better results in hospital stay (13.69±3.83 days), time to first flatus (25.60±4.80 hours), time to first defecation (48.87±6.10 hours), overall complication rate (12.15%), and gastrointestinal dysfunction rate (4.67%) compared to the traditional nutrition support group [16.60±4.36 days, 31.58±6.73 hours, 64.67±11.98 hours, 41.67%, and 35.42%] ( t=4.19, t=5.56, t=8.65, χ2=17.23, χ2=25.72, all P<0.001). Conclusion:Enteral nutrition pre-adaptation positively impacts post-esophagectomy nutrition-related complications and gastrointestinal dysfunction.nutrtional support before surgery can't be neglected.

Objective On the basis of systematically summarizing and organizing the existing standards of mineral drugs in traditional Chinese medicine,this study aims to construct the top-level framework of the mineral drug standard system and promote the standardization process of the mineral drug industry.Methods A comprehensive search and analysis of the standards for 87 kinds of mineral drugs were conducted on authoritative platforms such as the National Standard Information Public Service Platform,China Standard Service Network,and Traditional Chinese Medicine Standard and Guideline Information Service.By delving into the theoretical foundation and scientific methods,combined with practical research,this study uses analogy reference,systematic decomposition,and process analysis to design the top-level framework of the mineral drug standard system.Results Through comprehensive analysis and scientific design,this study summarizes the construction process and methods of the mineral drug standard system,clarifies the hierarchical structure and classification principles of the system,proposes the compilation path,and forms a standard system covering the entire industry chain of mineral drugs,including raw minerals,product categories,and circulation categories.Conclusion This study constructs a full industry chain process framework for the standard system of mineral drugs,providing a clear perspective for the research of mineral drugs.It can more comprehensively display the current state of development of mineral drug standards in our country,laying a foundation for the research on the standardization of mineral drugs.

Objective:To investigate the role of mRNA expression in the pathogenesis of gout by analyzing the difference of gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)among acute gouty(AG),intermittent gouty(IG)and health con-trols(HC).Methods:AG patients,IG patients and HC were enrolled in this study.RNA-seq and bioinformatics techniques were used to observe the differences of mRNA expression in PBMCs of different groups,and to explore the genes and signaling pathways as-sociated with gout attack.GO and KEGG databases were used to investigate the biological functions of differentially expressed genes and the relationship between genes and signaling pathways.Genes involved in the KEGG enriched PPAR signaling pathway(CYP27A1,ACSL1,CD36,PPARG,ANGPTL4,PLIN2)were validated in PBMCs from 35 patients with AG,35 patients with IG,and 35 normal healthy subjects using real-time PCR.Results:Compared with HC group,there were 222 significant differential genes in AG group,including 193 up-regulated genes and 29 down-regulated genes.GO analysis showed that the genes differentially ex-pressed in AG group were mainly enriched in the regulation of multicellular biological processes such as inflammation,trauma,and stress response and immune response regulation compared with HC group.However,KEGG analysis showed that the up-regulated genes in AG group were enriched in"Toll-like receptor signaling pathway""complement and coagulation cascades""PPAR signaling pathway""lipid and atherosclerosis""osteoclast differentiation""cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction""chemokine signaling path-way""IL-17 signaling pathway",and"cholesterol metabolism"compared with HC group.The results of PCR validation of related genes in the PPAR signaling pathway showed that the expression levels of ACSL1,CD36,PPARG,and PLIN2 in the AG group were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05),and the expression levels of CYP27A1 and ANGPTL4 in the AG group were not dif-ferent from those in the HC group(P>0.05).Conclusion:PPAR signaling pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of AG,of which ACSL1,CD36,PPARG,and PLIN2 may be used as potential therapeutic targets for acute gouty arthritis;CYP27A1 and ANG-PTL4 may not be associated with the pathogenesis of AG.

Dermacentor abaensis(D.abaensis)is a tick species distributed only in Qinghai,Gansu,and other provinces of China.It is more harmful because it can carry pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi and Piroplasm.However,morphological descriptions and image data for this tick spe-cies are still insufficiently detailed,and data related to molecular markers such as COX 1 and ITS2 are still missing.The ticks were collected from the body surface of yaks in Diebu County,Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,Gansu Province.The morphological characteristics of various parts of the ticks were carefully observed using a stereomicroscope ultra-depth-of-field system.At the same time,the total DNA of the tick body wall was extracted,then the primers for COX 1 and ITS2 genes were designed,and PCR amplification was performed before sequencing.The sequen-cing results were compared with related sequences in GenBank for homology analysis,and the phy-logenetic tree was constructed to provide a basis for accurate identification of this tick species.The results showed that the female ticks were subrounded.The basic capituli were rectangular in shape.The porose area was ovoid in shape,cornua short and blunt,palps thick and short,with a slightly pointed front end.A slightly rounded scutum,and the enamel color was slightly lighter towards the back.The cervial groove was short,and in deeply concave.The festoon was obvious.The peritreme was in comma-shaped.The trailing edge was slightly curved.The genital opening had a ala.The anus was located in the posterior quarter of the middle of the abdomen,and there is a semicircular anal groove surrounded.Male ticks were slightly elongated ovoid,with no porose area.The entire surface was covered with enamel color except the cornua.The genital opening was opposite to the coxall,and there is no ala.The anal groove was deeper,and the external spur of the coxa Ⅳ was narrower and longer.All other body characteristics are similar to those of female ticks.Based on the comparative analysis of COX 1 and ITS2 gene sequences and the construction of phylogenetic tree,it was found that D.abaensis is more closely related to Dermacentor nuttalli and Dermacentor marginatus than other Dermacentor spp.The results suggested that D.abaensis have unique mor-phological and molecular marker characteristics,and the combination of the two characteristics will make it easier to rapidly and accurately identify this tick species.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of digital 3D technology assisted and traditional one-hole split endoscopic surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative scoliosis(LSS-DS).Methods Clinical data of 42 patients with LSS-DS who underwent one-hole split endoscopic surgery from January 2022 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,20 cases were treated with digital 3D technology assisted one-hole split endoscopic surgery(3D group),and 22 cases were treated with traditional one-hole split endoscopic surgery(traditional group).The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,lateral articular surface preservation rate,Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)of lower extremity pain,Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)and modified MacNab criteria at the last follow-up were compared between the two groups.Results Both groups of patients were operated successfully.The operation time of the 3D group and the traditional group was(73.3±24.0)min and(65.7±23.8)min,respectively,with no significant difference(t=1.020,P=0.314).The intraoperative blood loss was(65.3±14.7)ml and(66.7±17.1)ml,respectively,with no significant difference(t=-0.298,P=0.767).The retention rate of lateral articular surface in the 3D group[(88.2±6.3)%]was significantly higher than that in the traditional group[(82.7±4.6)%,t=3.201,P=0.003].One patient in the traditional group had dural tear and was cured after conservative treatment.There were 3 cases of calf muscle venous thrombosis in the 3D group and 4 cases in the traditional group.All the 7 patients were given anticoagulant therapy and appropriately delayed time of ambulation.In the3D group,20 cases were followed up for6-13 months,with a mean of(8.2±2.0)months;in the traditional group,22 cases were followed up for 6-12 months,with a mean of(7.7±1.7)months.According to the modified MacNab criteria,the excellent and good rate was 95.0%(19/20)in the 3D group and 90.1%(20/22)in the traditional group at the last follow-up,and there was no significant difference between the two groups(Z=-0.311,P=0.756).The VAS score and ODI of the two groups were significantly improved at 3 months and 6 months after operation(all P=0.000),but there was no significant difference between the two groups at each time point(P>0.05).Conclusion The short-term efficacy of digital 3D technology assisted one-hole split endoscopic surgery in the treatment of LSS-DS is definite,and the symptoms of patients are significantly improved.

We report a 30-year-old woman who presented with intermittent gross hematuria and left flank pain，and CT revealed a left staghorn stones. The initial percutaneous nephrolithotomy（PCNL）left a 6 mm fragment，and both stone and urine cultures yielded extended-spectrum β-lactamase（ESBL）-producing Escherichia coli. Seven months later，the stone increased to 6 cm and urine culture revealed Proteus mirabilis. Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery（ECIRS）achieved complete clearance. At 6-month follow-up，the patient remained asymptomatic，culture-negative，and stone-free. This case highlights that small residual fragments after PCNL may rapidly enlarge with secondary urease-producing infection，underscoring the need for early re-intervention and standard follow-up.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of conventional ultrasound combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for detecting cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).Methods:This retrospective case control study included 259 patients (249 males and 10 females,aged 40-88 years with a median age of 63 years) who were pathologically diagnosed with HNSCC at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from April 2022 to August 2024. A total of 259 lymph nodes were assessed(78 pathologically positive nodes and 181 pathologically negative ones). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to compare the diagnostic efficacies of conventional ultrasound combined with CEUS and CT, MRI, or conventional ultrasound for cervical lymph node metastasis. Patients were randomly assigned to a training group ( n=208) and a validation group ( n=51) (8∶2). Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis prediction. A nomogram model was constructed based on independent risk factors. The model predictive efficacy was assessed by ROC curve, and model′s fit was evaluated by Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Results:The area under the curve (AUC) for conventional ultrasound combined with CEUS in predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in HNSCC was 0.923 (95% CI: 0.880-0.965), which was significantly higher than those for enhanced CT, cervical enhanced MRI, and conventional ultrasound [AUC were 0.820 (95% CI: 0.753-0.886), 0.802 (95% CI: 0.737-0.866), and0.836 (95% CI: 0.774-0.899), respectively].There were no statistically significant differences in clinical data between the two groups (all P>0.05). Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that, among contrast-enhanced ultrasound features, the centripetal perfusion pattern, irregular perfusion defect type, and uneven distribution of contrast agent were significantly associated with cervical lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05). Among conventional ultrasound features, L/S ratio≤1.5, heterogeneous internal echoes, uneven cortex thickening, blurred corticomedullary boundary, loss of lymphatic gate structure, and peripheral or mixed type on color Doppler flow imaging were significantly associated with cervical lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that the centripetal perfusion pattern, heterogeneous internal echoes, and uneven cortical thickening were independent risk factors for cervical lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05). A nomogram model was constructed based on the above independent risk factors, and offered an AUC of 0.933 (95% CI:0.890-0.976) in the training group, which was significantly higher than that for enhanced CT, enhanced MRI, conventional ultrasound, and conventional ultrasound combined with CEUS [AUC were 0.818 (95% CI:0.747-0.890), 0.807 (95% CI:0.739-0.875), 0.842 (95% CI: 0.777-0.908), and 0.921 (95% CI:0.876-0.967), respectively]. In the validation group, the AUC was 0.866 (95% CI:0.703-1.000), which was higher than that for cervical enhanced CT, enhanced MRI, and conventional ultrasound [AUC were 0.820 (95% CI:0.613-1.000), 0.711 (95% CI:0.478-0.943), and 0.748 (95% CI:0.515-0.982), respectively]. Conclusion:The combination of conventional ultrasound and CEUS has significant clinical application value in predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in HNSCC.