Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system in patients with end-stage heart failure. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients with end-stage heart failure who were treated with Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system from March 2022 to June 2024 in 4 hospitals in Jiangsu Province. The efficacy of the device was evaluated by comparing changes in clinical indicators at preoperative, discharge, 3-month postoperative, and 6-month postoperative timepoints, including the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD). The safety of the device was assessed by analyzing the intraoperative position and orientation of the blood pump inlet cannula, as well as the incidence of adverse events. Results In this study, 39 patients were collected, including 34 males and 5 females with a mean age of (56.4±12.5) years, ranging from 20 to 75 years. There was no operative death. There was no death in postoperative 3 months with a survival rate of 100.0%. There were 3 deaths in 6 months postoperatively, with a survival rate of 92.3%. All patients had a preoperative NYHA cardiac function classification of class Ⅳ. The NYHA cardiac function class of the patients improved (P<0.05) at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery when compared to the preoperative period. LVEF was significantly higher at 3 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). LVEDD was significantly smaller at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). The safety evaluation's findings demonstrated that all 39 patients' intraoperative blood pump inlet tubes were oriented correctly, the artificial blood vessel suture sites were appropriate, there were no instances of device malfunction or pump thrombosis, or instances of bleeding or hemolysis, and the rate of the remaining adverse events was low. Conclusion With a low rate of adverse events and an excellent safety profile, the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system can efficiently enhance cardiac function in patients with end-stage heart failure. It also has considerable clinical uses.

Ferroptosis of chondrocytes is a significant contributor to osteoarthritis (OA), for which there is still a lack of safe and effective therapeutic drugs targeting ferroptosis. Here, we screen for anti-ferroptotic drugs in Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library via a high-throughput manner in chondrocytes. We identified a group of FDA-approved anti-ferroptotic drugs, among which vitamin K showed the most powerful protective effect. Further study demonstrated that vitamin K effectively inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in chondrocytes. Intra-articular injection of vitamin K inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated OA phenotype in destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) mouse model. Mechanistically, transcriptome sequencing and knockdown experiments revealed that the anti-ferroptotic effects of vitamin K depended on growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6). Furthermore, exogenous expression of Gas6 was found to inhibit ferroptosis through the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) axis. Together, we demonstrate that vitamin K inhibits ferroptosis and alleviates OA progression via enhancing Gas6 expression and its downstream pathway of AXL/PI3K/AKT axis, indicating vitamin K as well as Gas6 to serve as a potential therapeutic target for OA and other ferroptosis-related diseases.

Objective To predict the radiation impact of discharging wastewater containing uranium within the specified limit generated during the normal operation of a new production line at a nuclear fuel plant on the receiving water body and its downstream, and to provide a reference for the management of radioactive liquid effluent discharge from nuclear facilities. Methods Based on the technical guidelines for environmental impact assessment, literature on radiation environmental impact assessment, and data collected from on-site investigations, appropriate hydrological parameters and prediction models were selected to analyze and predict the variation pattern of radioactive nuclide uranium along the receiving water body and the radiation exposure of nearby residents. Results The maximum increase in uranium concentration in the receiving water body and its downstream caused by the discharge of uranium-containing wastewater was 1.14 μg/L. The maximum predicted concentration was 2.75 μg/L after adding the background data of the water body. The resulting maximum individual annual effective dose for the public was 1.49 × 10⁻⁴ mSv/a. Conclusion The maximum predicted uranium concentration in the receiving water body and its downstream is lower than the uranium concentration limit of 30 μg/L specified in the Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB 5749-2022). The maximum individual annual effective dose for the public is much lower than the control value of 0.2 mSv/a specified in the Radiation Protection Regulations for Uranium Processing and Fuel and Fuel Manufacturing Facilities (EJ 1056-2018). The radiation impact is acceptable.

Objective:To explore the therapeutic effect of Honghe Fujie lotion combined with Lactobacillus vaginal capsule on senile vaginitis and its influence on vaginal microenvironment and inflammatory factors in vaginal lavage fluid.Methods:From February 2020 to March 2024 122 patients with senile vaginitis in.first department of gynecology of Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital were retrospectively selected as the study subjects. Among them, 60 patients who adopted Lactobacillus vaginal capsule were included in control group, and 62 patients who received Lactobacillus vaginal capsule combined with Honghe Fujie lotion were enrolled as combined group. The clinical efficacy of the two groups of patients was observed, and the changes of vaginal microenvironment and vaginal lavage fluid inflammatory factors before and after treatment and occurrence of adverse reactions during treatment were compared. The t-test was used for comparing between groups of metric data that conform to normal distribution, the χ2 test was used for comparing between groups of count data, and the rank sum test was used for comparing between groups of rank data. Results:The combined group (95.16%, 59/62) had higher total effective rate after the end of treatment than the control group (85.33%, 50/60) ( χ2=4.48, P=0.034). The levels of tumor necrosis factor- α ((106.22±4.83) ng/L, (109.34±5.52) ng/L), interleukin-6 ((4.19±1.14) ng/L, (4.98±1.42) ng/L) and Toll-like receptor-2 ((5.45±1.02) ng/L, (6.27±1.63) ng/L), vaginal pH value (PH≤4.5: 48 cases, 36 cases) and flora diversity (level 1,2,3,4:51,5,4,2 cases and 32,17,7,4 cases) in combined group and control group after the end of treatment were lower compared with before treatment ((145.27±6.01, 146.19±6.52) ng/L, (13.54±2.21,13.47±2.35) ng/L, (10.21±2.14, 10.34±2.11), (PH≤4.5: 0,0 case, flora diversity level 1,2,3,4:9,26,15,12 cases and 8,24,16,12 cases), the differences were statistically significant (statistical values were t=39.88, t=33.41, t=29.61, t=23.59, t=15.81, t=11.82, χ2=78.32, χ2=51.43, Z=48.77, and Z=21.07, respectively; all P<0.001), and the above-mentioned indicators were lower in combined group , the differences were statistically significant (statistical value s were t=3.33, t=3.39, t=3.34, χ2=4.31, and χ2=10.27, respectively; P value s were 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.038, and 0.001, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the vaginal microbiota density between the two groups of patients after treatment compared to before treatment ( χ2=1.01, P=0.314). There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups of patients during treatment ( χ2=0.18, P=0.675). Conclusion:The combination of Lactobacillus vaginal capsule and Honghe Fujie lotion has an exact efficacy in treating senile vaginitis. It can help to relieve the body's inflammatory response and promote the recovery of normal vaginal microenvironment of patients, and it has good safety. It is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Background and Aims:Surgical treatment is a cornerstone of breast cancer management;however,the physical trauma and psychological burden associated with surgery may adversely affect patients'quality of life(QoL).Based on data from a prospective cohort,this study was conducted to evaluate changes in postoperative QoL among breast cancer patients and to identify mediating factors influencing QoL,thereby providing evidence for perioperative rehabilitation strategies.Methods:Female breast cancer patients who underwent local surgical treatment at Suining Central Hospital between June 2024 and January 2025 were enrolled.The Constant-Murley Shoulder Score,EORTC QLQ-C30,and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires were used pre-and postoperatively to assess shoulder joint function,and QoL.Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in scores before and after surgery.A mediation model was applied to explore the indirect pathways through which surgery impacts QoL.Additionally,subgroup analyses were conducted to compare QoL changes across different surgical modalities.Results:A total of 148 patients were included,with median age of 54(46-60)years old Postoperative psychological health significantly improved,while shoulder function and overall QoL scores markedly declined(all P<0.001).According to QLQ-C30,functional domains such as physical and role functioning worsened,while symptom burden increased.The QLQ-BR23 revealed significantly higher scores for breast and upper limb symptoms postoperatively(both P<0.001).Subgroup analyses showed that patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection experienced greater declines in shoulder function and QoL compared to those receiving sentinel lymph node biopsy(both P<0.05).QoL deterioration was comparable between mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery,although the former was associated with more prominent pain and breast symptoms.Mediation analysis indicated that shoulder function,breast symptoms,and physical functioning served as mediators in the impact of surgery on QoL,while better psychological health exerted a protective effect.Conclusion:Surgical treatment significantly affects postoperative QoL in breast cancer patients,with local functional impairment and symptom exacerbation serving as key mediators.Different surgical approaches have varying impacts on QoL.Enhancing postoperative shoulder rehabilitation,symptom management,and psychological support may improve patients'QoL.

This study established the mouse podocyte clone-5 (MPC5) with Smad3 knockout and studied the effect of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) on the dedifferentiation of the MPC5 cells with Smad3 knockout, aiming to provide a cell tool for studying the role of Smad3 in mouse podocytes. The single-guide RNA (sgRNA) sequence targeting Smad3 was designed according to the principles of CRISPR/Cas9 design. The pX458-Smad3 vector was constructed and introduced into competent cells, and then the vector was extracted and used to transfect MPC5 cells. The successfully transfected cells were sorted by a flow cytometer. After single-cell clone expansion, PCR amplification of sequences adjacent to the edition site of Smad3 and sequencing were performed to identify potential cells with gene knockout. Western blotting was employed to verify the knockout efficiency of Smad3. Finally, the effect of Smad3 knockout on TGF-β1-induced dedifferentiation of MPC5 cells was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reacting (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and the immunofluorescence method. The sgRNA was designed to target the fifth exon of Smad3. EGFP expression was observed 24 h after transfection of the pX458-Smad3 plasmid into MPC5 cells, with the transfection efficiency of 0.1% as determined by flow cytometry. From the transfected cells, 21 cell clones were obtained through flow cytometric sorting and single-cell clone expansion. PCR amplification and sequencing of the region around the sgRNA target site in Smad3 identified two cell clones with biallelic frameshift mutations. Western blotting results confirmed the absence of Smad3 expression in these clones, indicating successful establishment of the MPC5 cell line with Smad3 knockout. In normal MPC5 cells, TGF-β1 stimulation promoted the expression of fibrosis-related genes fibronectin and Col1a1 (collagen I) and inhibited the expression of the podocyte marker proteins synaptopodin and podocin, which suggested epithelial-mesenchymal transition and podocyte injury. However, in the two MPC5 cell lines with Smad3 knockout, TGF-β1-induced expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers was significantly suppressed. The MPC5 cell lines with Smad3 knockout that were constructed by CRISPR/Cas9 provide a valuable cell model for functional studies of Smad3 protein and highlight the critical role of Smad3 in cell dedifferentiation.
Animals ; Smad3 Protein/genetics* ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; Mice ; Podocytes/metabolism* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/pharmacology* ; Cell Line ; Gene Knockout Techniques ; RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics*

Ferroptosis of chondrocytes is a significant contributor to osteoarthritis(OA),for which there is still a lack of safe and effective therapeutic drugs targeting ferroptosis.Here,we screen for anti-ferroptotic drugs in Food and Drug Administration(FDA)-approved drug library via a high-throughput manner in chondrocytes.We identified a group of FDA-approved anti-ferroptotic drugs,among which vitamin K showed the most powerful protective effect.Further study demonstrated that vitamin K effectively inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated the extracellular matrix(ECM)degradation in chondrocytes.Intra-articular injection of vitamin K inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated OA phenotype in destabilization of the medial meniscus(DMM)mouse model.Mechanistically,transcriptome sequencing and knockdown experiments revealed that the anti-ferroptotic effects of vitamin K depended on growth arrest-specific 6(Gas6).Furthermore,exogenous expression of Gas6 was found to inhibit ferroptosis through the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase(AXL)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase(AKT)axis.Together,we demonstrate that vitamin K inhibits ferroptosis and alleviates OA progression via enhancing Gas6 expression and its downstream pathway of AXL/PI3K/AKT axis,indicating vitamin K as well as Gas6 to serve as a potential therapeutic target for OA and other ferroptosis-related diseases.

ObjectiveTo investigate the pathogenic spectrum and epidemiological characteristics of diarrheal disease in Fengxian District of Shanghai, and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and control of diarrheal diseases. MethodsBasic information of the initial adult cases visited diarrheal disease surveillance sentinel hospital in Fengxian District, Shanghai, was collected from August 2013 to 2023, and fecal samples were collected at 1∶5 sampling intervals to isolate and identify 5 kinds of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC), Salmonella (SAL), Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Campylobacter, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella and Yersinia enterocolitica (YE). Simultaneously, nucleic acid detection was performed for 3 kinds of rotavirus, 2 kinds of norovirus, intestinal adenovirus, astrovirus and sapovirus. ResultsA total of 1 861 cases of newly diagnosed diarrheal disease were reported, with the peak in July to August. Additionally, 704 surveillance samples were detected, with a total positive detection rate of 50.57%. The detection rates of bacterial, viral and mixed infection were 25.14%, 21.02% and 4.40%, respectively. Among the pathogens detected, DEC accounted for the highest (17.61%, 124/704), followed by norovirus (16.48%, 116/704), rotavirus (6.39%, 45/704), SAL (5.97%, 42/704) and Campylobacter (3.84%, 27/704). DEC detected were mainly enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, with no detection of Vibrio cholerae, Shigella and YE. The highest total pathogen detection rate was observed from June to September, and the detection peaks of norovirus were from March to June and from October to December, whereas that of DEC was from June to October. The detection rate of rotavirus peaked from January to February, but which was not detected between 2020‒2023. The SAL positive rate peak was in September, whereas that of Campylobacter was from July to September. ConclusionThe main pathogens detected in Fengxian District from 2013‒2019 are DEC, norovirus, rotavirus, SAL and Campylobacter. Different pathogens have different detection peaks, with bacteria predominating in summer and viruses in winter and spring. Prevention and control measures should be carried out according to the epidemiological characteristics of different seasons.

Objective:To evaluate the analgesic effect of intercostal muscle plane block of external oblique muscle in patients undergoing endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods:A total of 48 patients undergoing endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy under elective general anesthesia in Nanjing First Hospital from February to July 2023 were prospectively selected and divided into two groups ( n=24) according to random number table method: abdominal external oblique intercostal muscle plane block combined with general anesthesia group (EG group) and general anesthesia group (G group). The EG group was blocked in the intercostal muscle plane of the external oblique muscle before general anesthesia induction, and 0.375% ropivacaine 20 ml was injected on both sides, respectively. Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) was performed in both groups after operation, and the pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was less than 4 points. When the VAS score was ≥4, 1 mg oxycodone was injected intravenously for relief and analgesia. VAS scores at 30 min (T 0), 6 h (T 1), 12 h(T 2), 24 h(T 3), 48 h(T 4) after extubation, intraoperative drug and fluid dosage, postoperative sleep quality, analgesic satisfaction score, remedial analgesia and the occurrence of adverse reactions were recorded. Results:The scores of rest and exercise VAS at T 0, T 1, T 2, T 3 and T 4 in the EG group were significantly lower than those in the G group (all P<0.05). The dosage of norepinephrine, propofol, remifentanil and total fluid infusion in the EG group were significantly lower than those in the G group (all P<0.05). The sleep quality and analgesic satisfaction of the EG group were better than those of the G group (all P<0.05), the first time of PCIA compression after surgery was longer than that of the G group ( P<0.05), the number of effective compressions, the amount of oxycodone relief and analgesia, the proportion of nausea and vomiting, and the stay time of anesthesia intensive care unit (AICU) were lower than those of the G group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in total hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with general anesthesia alone, abdominal external oblique intercostal muscle plane block combined with general anesthesia in patients with endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy has significant postoperative analgesia effect, which can not only reduce postoperative VAS score and opioid consumption, but also improve sleep quality and increase postoperative analgesia satisfaction. Ultrasound-guided intercostal muscle plane block of external oblique muscle can be used as a better analgesic method in endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Objective:To explore the effect of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB) combined with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in the treatment of chronic insomnia.Methods:A total of 69 patients with chronic insomnia admitted to the Nanjing First Hospital from January 2023 to February 2024 were selected and randomly divided into the CBT-I alone group (simple group, 34 cases) and the SGB combined with CBT-I group (combined group, 35 cases) using a random number table. Both groups received treatment for 8 weeks. The simple group was treated with CBT-I twice a week, 1 hour each time. The combined group, on the basis of the simple group, received ultrasound-guided SGB with 4 ml of 1% lidocaine, which was performed once a day, alternately on the left and right sides, for 7 consecutive days each time, with a total of 14 injections in the 1st and 5th weeks. One week before treatment and 8 weeks after treatment, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep diary were used to record patients′ subjective sleep quality; Actigraph was used to record objective sleep status; the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to assess patients′ emotional status. Adverse reactions such as hoarseness, pneumothorax, bleeding, and infection were recorded.Results:After 8 weeks of treatment, the effective rate was 76.5%(26/34) in the simple group and 94.3%(33/35) in the combined group, with a statistically significant difference (χ 2=8.433, P<0.05). Before treatment, there was no significant difference in PSQI scores between the two groups ( P>0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the PSQI scores of both groups were lower than those before treatment, and the PSQI score of the combined group was lower than that of the simple group, with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in sleep parameters from sleep diaries and Actigraph between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with before treatment, after treatment, the total sleep time and time in bed were prolonged, and sleep efficiency, the proportion of deep sleep, and the proportion of rapid eye movement sleep were increased in both groups; these indicators in the combined group were better than those in the simple group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the sleep onset latency was shortened and the number of awakenings was reduced in both groups after treatment, and the combined group was better than the simple group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in SAS and SDS scores between the two groups (all P>0.05). After treatment, the SAS and SDS scores of both groups were lower than those before treatment, and the SAS and SDS scores of the combined group were lower than those of the simple group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). During treatment, 2 cases in the combined group developed hoarseness, which relieved spontaneously after 2 hours, and no other complications occurred. Conclusions:Ultrasound-guided SGB combined with CBT-I can significantly improve the nighttime sleep quality of patients with chronic insomnia.