ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation"， this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice（AMR-AFI） in improving slow-transit constipation（STC）， as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis， thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group， model group， positive drug（mosapride） group（3 mg·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI（3.9， 7.8， 15.6 g·kg^-1）. Except for the control group， the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling， interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d， during which fecal samples， colon tissue， and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate， histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining， and the levels of interleukin（IL）-6， tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α， and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Furthermore， the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing， while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue， followed by gene ontology（GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） enrichment analyses. Finally， Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group， the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased（P<0.01）， while serum levels of IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-2 were significantly elevated（P<0.01）. HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells， along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group， all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-2（P<0.01）. Among these， the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group， as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis， such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice， increased species richness， downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella， and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria， including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group， Ruminococcaceae， and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast， pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota， arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism， and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.

ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation"， this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice（AMR-AFI） in improving slow-transit constipation（STC）， as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis， thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group， model group， positive drug（mosapride） group（3 mg·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI（3.9， 7.8， 15.6 g·kg^-1）. Except for the control group， the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling， interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d， during which fecal samples， colon tissue， and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate， histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining， and the levels of interleukin（IL）-6， tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α， and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Furthermore， the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing， while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue， followed by gene ontology（GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） enrichment analyses. Finally， Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group， the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased（P<0.01）， while serum levels of IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-2 were significantly elevated（P<0.01）. HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells， along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group， all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-2（P<0.01）. Among these， the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group， as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis， such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice， increased species richness， downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella， and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria， including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group， Ruminococcaceae， and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast， pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota， arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism， and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of forkhead box protein O4 （FOXO4） expression on gastric precancerous lesions （GPL）， and to clarify its mechanism in mediating the therapeutic effect of Celastrus orbiculatus extract （COE） on GPL by regulating aerobic glycolysis. MethodsReferring to the previously established combined modeling protocol in our research group， a rat model of gastric precancerous lesions （GPL） was constructed through the following procedures： rats were given free access to 170 μg/mL N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine （MNNG） solution for ad libitum drinking， fed with a diet supplemented with 0.03% ranitidine hydrochloride， and treated with a cycling regimen of “2-day feeding followed by 1-day fasting”. Specifically， on the afternoon of each fasting day， the rats received intragastric administration of 2% sodium salicylate at a dose of 10 mL/kg body weight. FOXO4-silenced and overexpression model rats were constructed by tail vein injection of plasmids. The rats were randomly divided into control， model， COE， overexpression negative control （OE-NC）， FOXO4 overexpression （OE-FOXO4）， OE-FOXO4+COE， silencing negative control （shNC）， FOXO4 silencing （shFOXO4） and shFOXO4+COE groups. Gastric mucosal histopathological changes were observed in each group. Lactic acid content in gastric mucosal tissues was detected by colorimetry. The expression levels of FOXO4， HK2， PKM2， LDHA and GLUT1 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， and their mRNA levels were determined by RT-PCR.Results Compared with the control group， the COE， OE-FOXO4 and OE-FOXO4+COE groups exhibited significantly improved gastric mucosal lesions， reduced lactic acid levels， weakened expression of aerobic glycolysis-related proteins （PKM2， HK2， LDHA， GLUT1）， and enhanced FOXO4 expression. The OE-FOXO4+COE group showed the lowest lactic acid level and more pronounced changes in related protein expression compared with the COE and OE-FOXO4 groups. In contrast， the shFOXO4 and shFOXO4+COE groups displayed increased lactic acid levels， enhanced expression of aerobic glycolysis-related proteins， and reduced FOXO4 expression compared with the model group.ConclusionFOXO4 expression is involved in the inhibitory effect of COE on GPL， possibly by regulating the aerobic glycolysis process.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of entecavir （ETV） versus tenofovir alafenamide fumarate （TAF） on renal function in previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis B （CHB）. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 167 previously untreated CHB patients who received ETV or TAF treatment for at least 48 weeks at the outpatient service of Department of Infectious Diseases in The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from September 2019 to November 2023， and according to the antiviral drug used， they were divided into ETV group with 117 patients and TAF group with 50 patients. In order to balance baseline clinical data， propensity score matching （PSM） was used for matching and analysis at a ratio of 2∶1， and the two groups were compared in terms of estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） and the incidence rate of abnormal renal function at week 48. According to eGFR at week 48， the patients were divided into normal renal function group and abnormal renal function group. The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for abnormal renal function， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the performance of each indicator in predicting abnormal renal function. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the cumulative incidence rate of abnormal renal function， and the log-rank test was used for comparison. The analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to compare the dynamic changes of eGFR during antiviral therapy in CHB patients. ResultsAfter PSM matching， there were 100 patients in the ETV group and 50 patients in the TAF group. There were no significant differences in baseline clinical data between the ETV group and the TAF group （all P>0.05）， with an eGFR level of 112.29±9.92 mL/min/1.73 m² in the ETV group and 114.72±12.15 mL/min/1.73 m² in the TAF group. There was a reduction in eGFR from baseline to week 48 in both groups， and compared with the TAF group at week 48， the ETV group had a significantly lower eGFR （106.42±14.12 mL/min/1.73 m² vs 112.25±13.44 mL/min/1.73 m²， t=-2.422， P=0.017） and a significantly higher incidence rate of abnormal renal function （17.00% vs 4.00%， χ²=5.092， P=0.024）. After the patients were divided into normal renal function group with 131 patients and abnormal renal function group with 19 patients， the univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in age （Z=-2.039， P=0.041）， treatment drug （ETV/TAF） （χ²=5.092， P=0.024）， and baseline eGFR level （t=4.023， P<0.001）， and the multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that baseline eGFR （odds ratio ［OR］=0.896， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.841 — 0.955， P<0.001） and treatment drug （OR=5.589， 95%CI： 1.136 — 27.492， P=0.034） were independent influencing factors for abnormal renal function. Baseline eGFR had an area under the ROC curve of 0.781 in predicting abnormal renal function in CHB patients， with a cut-off value of 105.24 mL/min/1.73 m²， a sensitivity of 73.68%， and a specificity of 82.44%. The Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that the patients with baseline eGFR≤105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² had a significantly higher cumulative incidence rate of abnormal renal function than those with baseline eGFR>105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² （χ²=22.330， P<0.001）， and the ETV group had a significantly higher cumulative incidence rate of abnormal renal function than the TAF group （χ²=4.961， P=0.026）. With the initiation of antiviral therapy， both the ETV group and the TAF group had a significant reduction in eGFR （F=5.259， P<0.001）， but the ETV group only had a significant lower level of eGFR than the TAF group at week 48 （t=-2.422， P=0.017）； both the baseline eGFR≤105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² group and the baseline eGFR>105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² group had a significant reduction in eGFR （F=5.712， P<0.001）， and there was a significant difference in eGFR between the two groups at baseline and weeks 12， 24， 36， and 48 （t=-13.927， -9.780， -8.835， -9.489， and -8.953， all P<0.001）. ConclusionFor CHB patients initially treated with ETV or TAF， ETV antiviral therapy has a higher risk of renal injury than TAF therapy at week 48.

Objective: To understand the current status of tuberculosis prevention and control knowledge and perceived stress among college and middle school students with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Yantai City, and to analyze the related factors, so as to provide a basis for the school to carry out health education and psychological counseling. Methods: A matched case control study was conducted, with 100 PTB student patients in junior high school and above who were diagnosed at designated medical institutions from October 2020 to October 2024. Four healthy control students of the same gender, same dormitory, or same class were selected for each case. Therefore, 100 cases and 400 controls were investigated by questionnaire. The following information was collected: personal basic information; tuberculosis prevention and control awareness; and scores of the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS). Conditional Logistic regression model and mixed linear models were used to compare the PTB prevention and control awareness rate, as well as the perceived stress between the case and control groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the factors that may affect the perceived stress of students with PTB. Results: The awareness rates of four tuberculosis knowledge items (symptoms of PTB, main causes of onset after infection, consequences of PTB patients not receiving standardized and complete treatment, the most important method to prevent PTB) were higher in the case group (40.00%, 72.00% , 38.00%, 49.00%) than the control group (21.50%, 57.50%, 22.25%, 31.25%) and the differences were statistically significant ( Wald χ 2=18.44, 8.78, 13.20, 16.89, all P <0.01). The tension score (10.49±4.20), loss of control score ( 11.21± 4.58), and total score (21.70±6.88) in the case group were higher than the control group (9.35±4.73, 9.75±5.60, 19.09±8.36) and the differences were statistically significant ( t =2.21, 2.42, 2.88, all P <0.05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that age ≥ 18 years and family history of tuberculosis were the related factors affecting the overall perceived stress and tension of college and middle school students with PTB ( B total scores =4.50, 5.91; B tension score =2.39, 3.23, all P <0.05). Conclusions The tuberculosis prevention and control awareness rate, and the perceived stress of college and middle school students with PTB in Yantai are both higher than students without tuberculosis. Moreover, the perceived stress of students with PTB who are aged ≥18 years or have a family history of tuberculosis is even higher.

Objective : To observe the effect of Celastrus orbiculatusextract(COE) on gastric precancerous lesions(GPL) and to explore its role in the Notch-1 signaling pathway. Methods : GPL rat models were established using a composite model replication method, and the rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, and COE low, medium and high dose groups [COE at 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/(kg·d)]. After 4 weeks of intervention, gastric tissue was collected, and immunohistochemistry(IHC) was performed to detect the expression of mucins(MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6), Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5(Lgr5), Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen(Ki67), and Notch-1. Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was used to determine the mRNA levels of the aforementioned mucins. Human gastric epithelial cells(GES-1) were induced with N-Methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) to establish a GPL cell model. The cells were randomly divided into control, model, and COE low, medium, and high concentration groups(COE at 5, 10, and 20 μg/ml). After 24 hours of corresponding interventions, changes in cell morphology were observed under an inverted microscope. Western blot was used to measure the expression of Notch-1 and Lgr5, and immunofluorescence(IF) was employed to detect Notch-1 expression. Results : Compared to the control group, the expression of MUC2, Lgr5, Notch-1, and Ki67 in the gastric tissue of the model group rats significantly increased(P<0.000 1), while the expression of MUC5AC and MUC6 decreased(P<0.000 1). In comparison to the model group, the expressions of MUC2, Lgr5, Notch-1, and Ki67 were significantly reduced in the COE groups(P<0.01), while the expression of MUC5AC and MUC6 significantly increased(P<0.01). In the GES-1 model group, the cells exhibited irregular morphology, loose intercellular connections, and disorganized arrangement compared to the control group. In contrast, the cells in the COE groups displayed a more regular morphology and a more organized arrangement than those in the model group. Additionally, compared to the control group, the expression of Lgr5 and Notch-1 in the model group were significantly elevated(P<0.000 1), whereas after COE treatment, their expressions were markedly reduced(P<0.001). Conclusion COE can alleviate GPL, and its mechanism may be associated with the downregulation of the Notch-1 signaling pathway, which improves gastric mucosal mucin barrier function and inhibits the abnormal proliferation of gastric mucosal stem cells.

Objective To investigate the effect of extracellular heat shock protein(HSP)22 on Toll-like receptor(TLR)4/nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)signaling pathway in oxidative-low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL)-induced inflammatory damage in coronary endothelial cells(HCAECs).Methods HCAECs were cul-tured in vitro and pretreated with ox-LDL to establish a model of high-lipid-induced endothelial cell injury.Re-combinant human HSP22(rhHSP22)was exogenously treated.The effects of rhHSP22 on the expression of inflammation-related proteins such as interleukin(IL)-8,vascular cell adhesion molecule(VCAM)-1 and NF-κB in endothelial cells and endothelial cell apoptosis were observed.The relationship between HSP22 and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway was investigated under the action of TLR4 inhibitor E5564.Western blot was used to detect the expression of IL-8,VACM-1 and NF-κB proteins,and flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of endothelial cells in each group.Results Compared with the CNT group,the relative expression levels of IL-8,VACM-1 and NF-κB protein in the rhHSP22 group,rhHSP22+ox-LDL group,rhHSP22+E5564 group and rhHSP22+E5564+ox-LDL group were significantly increased,and the differences were sta-tistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with the rhHSP22 group,the relative expression levels of IL-8,VACM-1 and NF-κB protein in the rhHSP22+ox-LDL group were significantly increased,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with the rhHSP22+ox-LDL group,the relative expression levels of IL-8 and VACM-1 in the rhHSP22+E5564+ox-LDL group were decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with the CNT group,the apoptosis rate in the rhHSP22 group,rhHSP22+ox-LDL group and rhHSP22+E5564+ox-LDL group was significantly increased,and the differ-ence was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with the rhHSP22 group,the apoptosis rate in the rhHSP22+ox-LDL group was increased,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with the rhHSP22+ox-LDL group,the apoptosis rate in the rhHSP22+E5564+ox-LDL group was de-creased,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion In ox-LDL-induced inflamma-tory damage of HCAECs,extracellular HSP22 induces the expression of IL-8,VACM-1 and NF-κB proteins by activating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway,and promotes endothelial cell apoptosis.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap transplantation for breast reconstruction.Methods:This retrospective study included 23 female breast cancer patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction with a remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap at Hunan Cancer Hospital from June 2022 to June 2023. The patients' ages ranged from 24 to 56 years, with a mean age of (43.2±1.3) years. All patients had previously undergone mastectomy and tumor resection before receiving the remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Follow-up was conducted through outpatient visits and telephone interviews, with a median follow-up period of 10 (6-15) months. Observation indicators included survival rate of flaps, patient satisfaction rate and aesthetic outcomes. Adverse reactions including but not limited to flap contracture and deformation, during and following the surgical procedure were also recorded.Results:The remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap technique was utilized for autologous breast reconstruction in 23 patients. Specifically, this approach was chosen due to two primary reasons: the perforator distance from the vascular pedicle being excessively long in 18 cases, and suboptimal characteristics of the main pedicle in 5 cases. Two types of flap configurations were employed. For 15 patients, a unilateral remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap was used, with an average flap size of (21.5±0.8) cm in length and (11.2±1.3) cm in width. All flaps demonstrated adequate blood supply without the need for additional vascular anastomosis. For the remaining 8 patients, a combination of a unilateral remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap and a contralateral free lower abdominal flap was utilized, resulting in an average flap size of (29.3±0.7) cm in length and (12.0±1.8) cm in width. In these cases, the inferior epigastric vessels of the free lower abdominal flap were successfully anastomosed to the internal thoracic vessels of the recipient site, ensuring all flaps survived postoperatively. The survival rate of flaps in 23 patients was 100% (23/23), and the patient satisfaction rate was 100% (23/23). Postoperative evaluation revealed that the reconstructed breasts exhibited satisfactory shape and texture, with no instances of flap contracture or deformation. The reconstructed breasts were largely symmetrical with the contralateral side, leaving only linear scars at the donor and recipient sites. Importantly, there was no significant impact on abdominal wall function, and no adverse reactions such as flap contracture or impaired abdominal wall function were observed in any of the patients.Conclusion:When the characteristics of the perforating vessels in the lower abdomen are suboptimal, the use of a remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap technique for breast reconstruction can ensure satisfactory outcomes and significantly enhance surgical safety.

Objective:To explore how one-sided/two-sided brain blood flow affects the occurrence of neurological complications in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection, as well as to assess the factors that contribute to the development of neurological complications.Methods:A total of 162 patients diagnosed with Stanford type A aortic dissection who had undergone ascending aorta and total aortic arch replacement at Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College from August 2020 to December 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence of postoperative neurological complications: a group with neurological complications comprising 77 cases and a group without neurological complications comprising 85 cases. A comparative analysis was carried out on general clinical data, surgical and brain perfusion characteristics, as well as preoperative test indicators between these two groups in order to investigate the factors influencing the occurrence of postoperative neurological complications in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection. The data was analyzed using Logistic regression to identify the risk factors associated with postoperative neurological complications and to develop a predictive nomogram model. Calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and decision curve (DCA) were generated to assess the accuracy and predictive capability of the nomogram model.Results:In the group of patients who experienced neurological complications, there was a higher prevalence of a history of hypertension, longer operation time, extended periods of cardiopulmonary bypass, cross-clamping, brain perfusion, cooling, and rewarming, as well as increased postoperative drainage volume. Additionally, the levels of preoperative blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr) and lactic acid (Lac) were elevated compared to those in the non-neurological complications group: 77.9% (60/77) vs. 52.9% (45/85), (409.99 ± 104.26) min vs. (348.29 ± 63.12) min, (223.36 ± 66.86) min vs. (179.25 ± 38.59) min, 112 (94, 133) min vs. 96 (84, 113) min, (35.23 ± 9.89) min vs. (32.14 ± 6.81) min, (82.19 ± 28.69) min vs. (68.76 ± 29.06) min, (79.30 ± 22.60) min vs. (69.54 ± 16.42) min, 806 (529, 1 127) ml vs. 663 (449, 925) ml, 6.78 (5.38, 8.84) mmol/L vs. 6.08 (4.66, 7.76) mmol/L, 86.3 (64.0, 131.9) μmol/L vs. 71.0 (55.6, 84.9) μmol/L, 2.1(1.2, 4.0) mmol/L vs. 1.5 (0.9, 2.3) mmol/L. On the other hand, the percentage of patients who underwent bilateral brain perfusion was lower, and they experienced lower lowest temperature, preoperative platelet count, and ejection fraction levels than those in the non-neurological complications group: 57.1% (44/77) vs. 75.3% (64/85), (25.69 ± 1.04) ℃ vs. (26.04 ± 0.82) ℃, (175.79 ± 58.14) ×10 9/L vs. (213.87 ± 77.29) ×10 9/L, (54.18 ± 3.84)% vs. (55.34 ± 3.56)% ( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that a prior history of high blood pressure, prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass duration were identified as autonomous risk factors for the development of postoperative neurological issues in individuals with Stanford type A aortic dissection, while simultaneous brain perfusion emerged as an independent protective element ( P<0.05). Subsequently, a predictive nomogram was constructed incorporating these three pivotal factors to assess the likelihood of postoperative neurological complications in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection. The calibration curve exhibited a noteworthy level of accuracy for the nomogram predictive model ( χ2 = 9.01, P = 0.342). Additionally, the ROC curve analysis displayed an area under the curve of 0.84 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.90) for the nomogram model in predicting postoperative neurological complications in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection, indicating a high predictive accuracy. Moreover, DCA analysis indicated that the nomogram model provided a net benefit above 0 across the spectrum of 0 to 90%. Conclusions:Postoperative neurological complications in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection is linked to factors such as a previous history of hypertension, unilateral brain perfusion, an extended cardiopulmonary bypass duration. By developing a nomogram model that incorporates these factors, it becomes feasible to accurately forecast the likelihood of postoperative neurological complications in this patient population. This predictive tool holds significant value in facilitating proactive clinical risk evaluation and preventive measures.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is common in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and may develop earlier in those with multiple cardiovascular comorbidities, potentially impairing self-management and treatment adherence. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and profile of MCI in AF patients, examine its associations with cardiovascular comorbidities, and assess how these comorbidities influence specific cognitive domains. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from AF patients who underwent cognitive assessment between 2017 and 2021. Cognitive status was categorized as MCI or non-MCI based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Associations between comorbidities and MCI were assessed by logistic regression, and cognitive domains were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Of 4136 AF patients (mean age: 64.7 ± 9.4 years, 64.7% male), 33.5% of patients had MCI. Among the AF patients, 31.2% of patients had coronary artery disease, 20.1% of patients had heart failure, and 18.1% of patients had hypertension. 88.7% of patients had left atrial enlargement, and 11.0% of patients had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Independent factors associated with higher MCI prevalence included older age (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.03-1.05, P < 0.001), lower education level (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.31-1.73, P < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.07-1.52, P = 0.001), heart failure (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.04-1.48, P = 0.020), and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.04-1.98, P = 0.028). A higher CHA₂DS₂-VASc score (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.22-1.33, P < 0.001; ≥ 2 points vs. < 2 points), and greater atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease burden (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.02-2.08, P = 0.040; 2 types vs. 0 type) were linked to increased MCI risk. These above factors influenced various cognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS MCI is common in AF and closely associated with cardiovascular multimorbidity. Patients with multiple comorbidities are at higher risk, highlighting the importance of routine cognitive assessment to support self-management and integrated care.