Objective To explore the impact of national volume-based procurement policies on the use of medicines in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） and provide data support for the rational clinical use of medicines in BPH treatment. Methods Data on the use of BPH treatment medications from 2019 to 2023 were extracted from the Chinese Medicine Economic Information Network （CMEI）, covering 892 hospitals （including 645 tertiary hospitals and 247 secondary hospitals）. The changes in various indicators, including the consumption sum, Defined daily doses （DDDs）, Defined daily dose cost （DDDc）, and the ranking ratio （B/A） of these drugs were analyzed and compared. Results From 2019 to 2023, due to the influence of relevant policies, the overall consumption sums of medicines used in the sample hospitals in BPH treatment showed a trend of decreasing first and then rising steadily. The DDDs showed an overall upward trend, while the DDDc demonstrated a gradual decline. Tamsulosin and finasteride consistently ranked first and second in DDDs. The B/A value for tamsulosin was significantly higher than that of other BPH treatment medications. Conclusion The implementation of national centralized drug volume-based procurement policies and other policies from 2019 to 2023 had effectively reduced the economic burden of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Tamsulosin and finasteride, which had the highest B/A in the two categories of α-blockers and 5α-reductase inhibitors, dominated the market for BPH treatment. The clinical use of BPH treatment medications was relatively rational.

Objective Based on the radiomics features extracted from the unenhanced CT images of the lower abdomen, a variety of machine learning models were constructed to explore their application value in the assessment of split renal function. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the unenhanced CT images from 240 single kidneys in patients with clinically suspected renal dysfunction. Based on the results of single-photon emission computed tomography renal dynamic imaging, the cases were classified into the normal glomerular filtration rate group (n=118) and the decreased glomerular filtration rate group (n=122). The region of interest was outlined on the unenhanced CT images and the radiomics features were extracted. The features were selected by correlation analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and the machine learning models were constructed based on the algorithms of decision tree, support vector machine, random forest, logistic regression, and extreme gradient boosting. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated to compare the performance of different models. Results Sixteen radiomics features were selected for constructing the machine learning models. The support vector machine model showed relatively high performance for the assessment of split renal function on the test set, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.883 (95% confidence interval: 0.804-0.961), an accuracy of 0.778, a sensitivity of 0.811, and a specificity of 0.743. Conclusion The machine learning models constructed based on unenhanced CT radiomics can be used to preliminarily assess split renal function, which provides an innovative, convenient, and safe method for clinical diagnosis and has positive significance for treatment.

AIM: To evaluate the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the iris and ciliary body of Wistar rats in the endotoxin-induced uveitis(EIU), and the effect of Xuebijing injection on its expression.METHODS:A total of 65 Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: Group A(normal saline, n=5), Group B(normal saline+endotoxin-injected, n=30), and Group C(Xuebijing+endotoxin-injected, n=30). The EIU model was induced in Wistar rats of the groups B and C by injecting LPS into the plantar surfaces of the hind feet, and normal saline(15 mL/kg)or Xuebijing(15 mL/kg)were intraperitoneally administered 30 min before LPS administration. The rats of the groups B and C were further divided into 6 subgroups after LPS injection, including 6, 12, 18, 24, 48, and 72 h subgroups, with 5 rats in each group. Furthermore, the intraocular inflammation of the rats was observed at each time above, the number of infiltrating cells in the aqueous humor was counted, and the pathological changes were observed in the iris and ciliary body of rats using hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining. TNF-α expression in iris and ciliary tissue at different postoperative time points was evaluated using immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: Clinical observations indicated no signs of uveitis in the group A, signs of uveitis were observed in the group B. Both iris symptoms and damage were significantly reduced in the group C compared to the group B(P<0.01). Cell counts in the aqueous humor revealed no inflammatory cells in the group A, while the number of aqueous humor cells in the group C was significantly reduced compared to Group B(P<0.01). HE staining revealed no cellular infiltration in the group A. In the group B, some cellular infiltration was observed in the eyes at 6 h post-LPS exposure. The number of infiltrating cells increased over time, peaked at 24 h, and gradually declined thereafter. In the group C, cell infiltration was not obvious at 6 h, few at 24 h, and nearly disappeared by 48 h. Immunohistochemical staining showed higher TNF-α expression in the ciliary body and iris in the group B than in the group A(P<0.01). Compared to the group C, TNF-α expression in the group B was significantly upregulated following LPS injection(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:TNF-α expression was elevated in EIU rats, and there was a positive correlation between its mean optical density ratio and inflammation degree. Moreover, Xuebijing injection could alleviate inflammation response through the reduction of TNF-α levels.

Metastasis is the leading cause of death from cutaneous melanoma. Identifying metastasis-related targets and developing corresponding therapeutic strategies are major areas of focus. While functional genomics strategies provide powerful tools for target discovery, investigations at the protein level can directly decode the bioactive epitopes on functional proteins. Aptamers present a promising avenue as they can explore membrane proteomes and have the potential to interfere with cell function. Herein, we developed a target and epitope discovery platform, termed functional aptamer evolution-enabled target identification (FAETI), by integrating affinity aptamer acquisition with phenotype screening and target protein identification. Utilizing the aptamer XH3C, which was screened for its migration-inhibitory function, we identified the Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), as a potential target involved in melanoma migration. Further evidence demonstrated that XH3C induces cytoskeletal rearrangement by blocking the interaction between the bioactive epitope of CSPG4 and integrin α4. Taken together, our study demonstrates the robustness of aptamer-based molecular tools for target and epitope discovery. Additionally, XH3C is an affinity and functional molecule that selectively binds to a unique epitope on CSPG4, enabling the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

Acute leukemia（AL）is a common hematological malignancy in children and adolescents. Chemotherapy is currently the primary treatment for AL.Alternative therapies，such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation（HSCT），targeted therapy，and immunotherapy also offer greater hope for the survival of refractory/relapsed patients. Chemotherapeutic drugs，radiotherapy，targeted drugs and immunotherapeutic drugs are well-applied clinically，meanwhile posing threats to non-target systems. The adverse effects on the reproductive system may lead to the dilemma of infertility，thus reducing the long-term quality of life. As the survival rate of AL patients keeps increasing continuously，the influence of different treatments on the gonad function needs to be clarified. With the help of targeted fertility prevention，the patient′s quality of life can be enhanced in parallel with life span. This article aims to review the impact of AL treatment on ovarian function in female children and adolescents and provide ideas for the long-term fertility protection of leukemia patients.

Objective:To investigate the clinical outcome of endovascular treatment vs. drug treatment in patients with symptomatic non-acute long-segment occlusion of the internal carotid artery. Methods:Based on prospective cohort registration research data, patients with symptomatic non-acute long-segment occlusion of internal carotid artery were retrospectively included. They were divided into a drug treatment group and an endovascular treatment group according to the actual treatment received. The latter was further divided into a successful recanalization group and an unsuccessful recanalization group. The endpoint events included ipsilateral ischemic stroke, any stroke, and all-cause death. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to compare the endpoint events between groups during the perioprocedural period (within 30 days), and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was use to compare the endpoint events between the groups during the long-term follow-up. Results:A total of 684 patients were included, of which 570 (83.33%) were male, median aged 63 years (interquartile range, 56-70 years). Three hundred and fifty-three patients (51.6%) received drug treatment; 331 (48.4%) received endovascular treatment, of which 161 (48.6%) had successful recanalization. The median follow-up time was 1 223 days (interquartile range, 646.5-2 082 days), with 109 patients (15.9%) experiencing stroke recurrence events (including 87 ipsilateral ischemic stroke) and 78 (11.4%) experiencing all-cause mortality. The risk of any stroke during the perioprocedural period in the successful recanalization group was significantly higher than that in the drug treatment group (odds ratio 3.679, 95% confidence interval 1.038-13.036; P=0.044), but the risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke recurrence (risk ratio 0.347, 95% confidence interval 0.152-0.791; P=0.012) and all-cause mortality (risk ratio 0.239, 95% confidence interval 0.093-0.618; P=0.003) during the long-term follow-up were significantly lower than those in the drug treatment group. Conclusions:In patients with symptomatic non-acute long-segment occlusion of the internal carotid artery, endovascular treatment can increase the risk of stroke recurrence within 30 days, but successful recanalization can reduce the risks of long-term ipsilateral ischemic stroke recurrence and all-cause mortality.

Approximately 8%to 15%of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC)harbor BRAF mutation,and the V600E mutation is the most common form of BRAF mutation.The prognosis of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer harboring BRAF V600E mutation is poor.Initial standard chemotherapy is often ineffective,necessitating an intensive follow-up treatment,which usually provides limited effic-acy.Consequently,the disease becomes notably difficult to treat and progresses rapidly,resulting in a decreased overall patient survival rate.This review details the research advancements in treatment of BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer.

Objective:To investigate predictive factors for successful endovascular recanalization in patients with non-acute symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion (SICAO), to develop a decision tree model using the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) algorithm, and to evaluate the predictive performance of the model.Methods:Patients with non-acute SICAO received endovascular therapy at 8 comprehensive stroke centers in China were included retrospectively. They were randomly assigned to a training set and a validation set. In the training set, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm was used to screen important variables, and a decision tree prediction model was constructed based on CART algorithm. The model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test and confusion matrix in the validation set.Results:A total of 511 patients with non-acute SICAO were included. They were randomly divided into a training set ( n=357) and a validation set ( n=154) in a 7:3 ratio. The successful recanalization rates after endovascular therapy were 58.8% and 58.4%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference ( χ2=0.007, P=0.936). A CART decision tree model consisting of 5 variables, 5 layers and 9 classification rules was constructed using the six non-zero-coefficient variables selected by LASSO regression. The predictive factors for successful recanalization included fewer occluded segments, proximal tapered stump, ASITN/SIR collateral grading of 1-2, ischemic stroke, and a recent event to endovascular therapy time of 1-30 d. ROC analysis showed that the area under curve of the decision tree model in the training set was 0.810 (95% confidence interval 0.764-0.857), and the optimal cut-off value for predicting successful recanalization was 0.71. The area under curve in the validation set was 0.763 (95% confidence interval 0.687-0.839). The accuracy was 70.1%, precision was 81.4%, sensitivity was 63.3%, and specificity was 79.7%. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test in both groups showed P>0.05. Conclusion:Based on the type of ischemic event, the time from the latest event to endovascular therapy, proximal stump morphology, the number of occluded segments, and the ASITN/SIR collateral grading constructed the decision tree model can effectively predict successful recanalization after non-acute SICAO endovascular therapy.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) combined with rehabilitation robot on upper limb and hand dysfunction in patients with subacute stroke. MethodsFrom December, 2019 to December, 2021, 50 inpatients with subacute stroke in Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital were randomly divided into control group (n = 25) and experimental group (n = 25). Both groups received routine rehabilitation therapy, while the control group added sham HD-tDCS combined with rehabilitation robot, and the experimental group added HD-tDCS combined with rehabilitation robot, for four weeks. The upper limb and hand function was assessed with Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE) and Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) before and after treatment. ResultsAfter treatment, the scores of ARAT, FMA-UE and MAS increased in the two groups (∣Z∣ > 3.320, t > 6.379, P < 0.01), while the scores of FMA-UE and MAS were higher in the experimental group than in the control group (Z = -2.379, t = 3.181, P < 0.05), as well as the scores of grasping and gross motor of ARAT (∣Z∣ > 2.033, P < 0.05). ConclusionThe combination of HD-tDCS and rehabilitation robot can be more effective on upper limb and hand function in patients with subacute stroke than rehabilitation robot alone.

Objective To analyze the pulmonary perfusion defect index (PPDI) of dual-energy computed tomography (CT) and pulmonary artery obstruction index (PAOI) of conventional CT angiography, and to investigate the clinical application value of dual-energy CT perfusion imaging in the examination of patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 21 patients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism in Weifang People's Hospital from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. PPDI, PAOI, and maximum plasma D-dimer concentration (mg/L) were calculated. According to the 2019 ESC Guidelines, the patients were divided into low-risk group (n = 8) and medium-risk group (n = 12). The Mann-Whitney U test was used for between-group comparisons. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlations between PAOI, PPDI, and plasma D-dimer concentration. Results The PPDI, PAOI, and D-dimer values in the low-risk group were 3.33 (2.09, 4.58), 5.00 (3.13, 5.00), and 0.67 (0.52, 0.79), respectively. The PPDI, PAOI, and D-dimer values in the middle-risk group were 8.34 (5.42, 12.50), 12.50 (8.13, 15.00), and 1.18 (0.86, 2.87), respectively. The Z-values of comparison between the two groups were −3.092, −3.650, and −3.318, respectively (all P < 0.05). There were significant differences in PPDI, PAOI, and D-dimer between the low-risk and middle-risk groups (P < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed between PPDI and PAOI, between PPDI and D-dimer, and between PAOI and D-dimer (r_s = 0.869, 0.918, 0.909, all P < 0.05). Conclusion Both PPDI and PAOI can be used for the clinical examination of patients with acute pulmonary embolism and evaluation of the severity of the disease. Compared with conventional CT, dual-energy CT perfusion imaging is more efficient in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism, and facilitates accurate clinical treatment.