Objective To investigate the correlation between the levels of activated protein C(APC),thromboxane B2(TXB2),and soluble B7-H3(sB7-H3)in the peripheral blood of elderly patients with pneumonia and the severity as well as prognosis of the disease.Methods One hundred elderly pneumonia patients admitted to our hospital from March 2022 to June 2024 were enrolled as the study group,and 100 healthy volunteers during the same period were selected as the control group.The levels of APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 in peripheral blood were com-pared between the two groups.Study group patients were further categorized into low-risk,medium-risk,and high-risk subgroups based on the CURB-65 score(Confusion,Uremia,Respiratory rate,Blood pressure,Age≥65 years).The levels of APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 in peripheral blood were compared among patients with varying disease severities.Pearson correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between the levels of APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 in peripheral blood and disease severity.The study group was followed up for 30 days and subsequently divided into good prognosis and poor prognosis subgroups according to their clinical outcomes.Clinical data and peripheral blood levels of APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 were compared between patients with different prognoses.Partial correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between peripheral blood levels of APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 and prognosis.Finally,the predictive value of these biomarkers was evaluated using the Receiver Oper-ating Characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The level of APC in the peripheral blood of the study group was signifi-cantly lower than that of the control group,whereas the levels of TXB2 and sB7-H3 were significantly higher(P<0.05).The severity of the disease in the study group was assessed using the CURB-65 score,which categorized patients into 33 mild cases,39 moderate cases,and 28 severe cases.Severe patients exhibited a lower level of APC in peripheral blood compared to moderate and mild patients.Additionally,the levels of TXB2 and sB7-H3 in moderate patients were higher than those in mild patients,while severe patients demonstrated even higher levels of TXB2 and sB7-H3 compared to both moderate and mild patients(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis revealed that peripheral blood APC was negatively correlated with the CURB-65 score,whereas TXB2 and sB7-H3 were positively correlated with the CURB-65 score(P<0.05).During a 30-day follow-up period,the research team identified 79 patients with good prognoses and 21 patients with poor prognoses.Significant differences were observed in diabetes prevalence,disease severity,and APACHEⅡ scores between the poor prognosis subgroup and the good prognosis subgroup(P<0.05).The levels of APC in peripheral blood were significantly lower in the poor prognosis subgroup compared to the good prognosis subgroup,whereas the levels of TXB2 and sB7-H3 were significantly higher(P<0.05).Partial correlation analysis revealed that peripheral blood APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 were significantly associ-ated with prognosis(P<0.05).The AUC values for predicting the prognosis of elderly pneumonia patients using peripheral blood APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 were 0.752,0.738,and 0.761,respectively,with sensitivities of 66.67%,76.19%,and 66.67%,and specificities of 78.48%,67.09%,and 78.48%.When combining these three indicators for prognostic prediction,the AUC increased to 0.918,with a sensitivity of 85.71%and a specificity of 87.34%,demonstrating a significant improvement in predictive accuracy compared to each indicator used alone(Z=2.207,2.666,2.109,P=0.027,0.008,0.035).Conclusion The levels of APC,TXB2,and sB7-H3 in the peripheral blood of elderly patients with pneumonia are significantly associated with the severity and prognosis of the disease.Combined detection of these biomarkers can serve as a reliable predictor of clinical outcomes.

Objective:To explore the association between sublingual microcirculatory perfusion vessel proportion (PPV), high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1), and sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC), and to identify early predictive markers for clinical intervention.Methods:A total of 66 septic patients admitted to the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) between November 2021 and May 2024 were enrolled. Based on SIC diagnosis within 24 hours of admission, patients were categorized into SIC ( n=36) and non-SIC ( n=30) groups. Clinical parameters, including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), sublingual PPV, and serum HMGB1 levels (measured at 0 h and 6 h), were analyzed. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to identify independent predictors. Results:Compared with the non-SIC group, the SIC group demonstrated significantly prolonged PT ( P<0.05) and APTT ( P<0.05), elevated 0 h lactate levels, and increased 6 h HMGB1. Spearman analysis revealed a positive correlation between 6 h PPV and platelet count ( P<0.05), while an inverse correlation was observed with 6 h PT ( P<0.05). Multivariate regression identified APTT, 6 h PPV, and 6 h HMGB1 as independent predictors of SIC. ROC analysis yielded AUC values of 0.732 for APTT, 0.802 for 6 h PPV, and 0.765 for 6 h HMGB1. The combination of 6 h PPV and HMGB1 further improved predictive accuracy (AUC=0.873). Conclusions:Prolonged APTT, decreased 6 h PPV, and elevated 6h HMGB1 are key indicators of SIC. Integrated assessment of these markers enhances early risk stratification in septic patients, facilitating timely clinical intervention.

This article reports a case of extensive ocular inflammation following zoledronic acid infusion for the treatment of osteoporosis. The patient developed pain, eyelid edema, conjunctival congestion, and decreased vision in the right eye one day after receiving intravenous zoledronic acid, and was diagnosed with uveitis, scleritis, and periorbital soft tissue inflammation. The patient′s symptoms were evaluated using the clinical activity score(CAS). After high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy combined with other comprehensive treatments, the symptoms improved markedly. This article reviews the incidence, clinical features, potential mechanisms, management, and prognosis of ocular adverse reactions induced by zoledronic acid, and highlights the importance of early recognition and timely treatment of ocular inflammation after zoledronic acid therapy.

Objective:To investigate the improvement in nutritional indicators, clinical complications, and respiratory infections among children with cerebral palsy (CP) and malnutrition who meet the indications for tube feeding under oral feeding and tube feeding interventions.Methods:In this retrospective cohort study, 82 children with CP and malnutrition that met the indications for tube feeding from the Children′s Rehabilitation Hospital of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2022 to April 2024 were included.These patients were divided into an oral feeding group and a tube feeding group.The t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze nutritional indices such as weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), height/length-for-age Z-score (HAZ), and weight-for-height/length Z-score (WHZ) before and after intervention in both groups.The improvement in clinical complications and respiratory infections was also analyzed. Results:After 3-month nutritional intervention, there were 60 cases in the oral feeding group and 22 cases in the tube feeding group.The tube feeding group showed better improvement in WHZ [-0.23(-1.79, 0.88) vs.-1.62(-2.02, -0.91) ] than the oral feeding group ( P<0.05).After 6-month nutritional intervention, there were 50 cases in the oral feeding group and 16 cases in the tube feeding group.The tube feeding group showed better improvement in WAZ [-0.80(-1.92, -0.42) vs. -2.26(-2.88, -1.84)], HAZ (-1.31±1.23 vs. -2.32±1.19), and WHZ (-0.74±1.39 vs. -1.58±1.03) than the oral feeding group (all P<0.05).After 12-month nutritional intervention, there were 30 cases in the oral feeding group and 10 cases in the tube feeding group.The tube feeding group showed better improvement in WAZ [-1.06(-1.77, -0.88) vs.-2.25(-3.06, -1.47) ] and HAZ (-1.22±1.63 vs. -2.54±1.50) than the oral feeding group (all P<0.05).Clinical complications improved better in the tube feeding group than those in the oral feeding group.In the tube feeding group, significant differences in choking ( χ2=16.29, P=0.001) and vomiting ( χ2=6.81, P=0.013) were observed before and after nutritional intervention.There was a statistically significant difference in frequency of lower respiratory infections 3 and 6 months after nutritional intervention between the 2 groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with oral feeding, tube feeding can effectively improve the clinical nutritional indicators and reduce the clinical complications and the risk of respiratory infections in CP children that meet the indications for tube feeding.

This article reports a case of extensive ocular inflammation following zoledronic acid infusion for the treatment of osteoporosis. The patient developed pain, eyelid edema, conjunctival congestion, and decreased vision in the right eye one day after receiving intravenous zoledronic acid, and was diagnosed with uveitis, scleritis, and periorbital soft tissue inflammation. The patient′s symptoms were evaluated using the clinical activity score(CAS). After high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy combined with other comprehensive treatments, the symptoms improved markedly. This article reviews the incidence, clinical features, potential mechanisms, management, and prognosis of ocular adverse reactions induced by zoledronic acid, and highlights the importance of early recognition and timely treatment of ocular inflammation after zoledronic acid therapy.

Imprinted genes play a key role in regulating mammalian placental and embryonic development. Here, we generated glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase-knockout (Qpct^-/-) mice utilizing the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) platform and identified Qpct as a novel anti-angiogenic factor in regulating mouse placentation. Compared with Qpct^+/+ mice, placentae and embryos (Qpct^-/+ and Qpct^-/-) showed significant overgrowth at embryonic Day 12.5 (E12.5), E15.5, and E18.5. Using single-cell transcriptome analysis of 32 309 cells from Qpct^+/+ and Qpct^-/- mouse placentae, we identified 13 cell clusters via single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) (8880 Qpct^+/+ and 13 577 Qpct^-/- cells) and 20 cell clusters via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) (6567 Qpct^+/+ and 3285 Qpct^-/- cells). Furthermore, we observed a global up-regulation of pro-angiogenic genes in the Qpct^-/- background. Immunohistochemistry assays revealed a notable increase in the number of blood vessels in the decidual and labyrinthine layers of E15.5 Qpct^-/+ and Qpct^-/- mice. Moreover, the elevation of multiple pairs of ligand-receptor interactions was observed in decidual cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages, promoting angiogenesis and inflammatory response. Our findings indicate that loss of maternal Qpct leads to altered phenotypic characteristics of placentae and embryos and promotes angiogenesis in murine placentae.
Animals ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Mice ; Placentation/genetics* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Mice, Knockout ; Transcriptome ; Placenta/blood supply* ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/genetics* ; Genomic Imprinting ; Single-Cell Gene Expression Analysis ; Angiogenesis

Objective:To explore the clinical, imaging, and pathological features of glottic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and their relationship with prognosis. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical, imaging, and pathological data of 130 patients with glottic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx who were treated at the First People's Hospital of Yinchuan and the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from January 2018 to March 2023. Imaging examinations （CT and MRI） were used to evaluate the lesion boundary clarity, density, enhancement nature, and enhancement degree. Postoperative pathological examination was used to determine the pathological nature, immunohistochemistry, etc. Statistical methods such as χ² test, Spearman correlation analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, and Kaplan-Meier method were used to analyze the data. Results:Among the 130 patients, 127 were male and 3 were female, with an average age of （61.92±9.595） years. There was a correlation between clinical, imaging, and pathological features. Multivariate analysis showed that heterogeneous MRI density （OR=12.414;P=0.019） and squamous cell carcinoma as a subtype were correlated. The initial symptom of non-hoarseness （HR=6.045;P=0.010） and unclear MRI boundary （HR=12.559; P=0.029） were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with glottic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Conclusion:There is a correlation between the clinical, imaging, and pathological features of patients with glottic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, and they can affect prognosis. The initial symptom of non-hoarseness and unclear MRI boundary of the tumor are independent risk factors for poor prognosis.
Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnosis* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Glottis/pathology* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Aged

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and major allergens of patients with pollen-food allergy syndrome（PFAS） and their correlation with the severity of symptoms, and to provide a basis for identifying high-risk patients, optimizing the allergen testing process and developing individualized dietary management strategies. Methods:The clinical data of 166 patients with PFAS admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical symptoms, pollen types and food allergy of the patients were analyzed by questionnaire survey and serum specific IgE detection. phi coefficient, Apriori algorithm modeling and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the association between allergen and symptom severity. Results:Artemisia pollen was the most common allergen in this area, with a positive rate of 96.39%. Peach and mango were the most common food allergens, which caused allergic reactions in 24.10% and 22.89% of patients, respectively. Oral mucosal symptoms were the main symptoms. Correlation analysis showed that there was a correlation between pollen allergens and allergenic food. Association rule analysis showed that when the patient was allergic to the combination of peanuts and trees, the probability of high severity of symptoms was 82.35%. Multivariate analysis showed that ragweed allergy was significantly positively correlated with the severity of PFAS symptoms. Conclusion:Artemisia pollen and related food allergens play an important role in the pathogenesis of PFAS. Association rule mining and network map analysis revealed direct associations between peanut and tree combination allergy and symptom severity, as well as potential links between other inhaled allergens and specific food allergies. Ragweed and peach allergy are independent risk factors for the aggravation of PFAS symptoms, which can be used as early warning indicators. These results help to improve the screening of high-risk patients and the construction of regional allergen databases.
Humans ; Food Hypersensitivity/immunology* ; Allergens/immunology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pollen/immunology* ; Cross Reactions ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/immunology* ; Artemisia/immunology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Prunus persica/immunology* ; Arachis/immunology* ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Oral Allergy Syndrome

BACKGROUND: The role of inflammation in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has recently become a focus of research. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), novel indices, reflect the body's chronic immune-inflammatory state. This study aimed to investigate the associations between the SII or SIRI and GDM. METHODS: A prospective birth cohort study was conducted at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from February 2018 to December 2020, recruiting participants in their first trimester of pregnancy. Baseline SII and SIRI values were derived from routine clinical blood results, calculated as follows: SII = neutrophil (Neut) count × platelet (PLT) count/lymphocyte (Lymph) count, SIRI = Neut count × monocyte (Mono) count/Lymph count, with participants being grouped by quartiles of their SII or SIRI values. Participants were followed up for GDM with a 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-28 weeks of gestation using the glucose thresholds of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG). Logistic regression was used to analyze the odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for the the associations between SII, SIRI, and the risk of GDM. RESULTS: Among the 28,124 women included in the study, the average age was 31.8 ± 3.8 years, and 15.76% (4432/28,124) developed GDM. Higher SII and SIRI quartiles were correlated with increased GDM rates, with rates ranging from 12.26% (862/7031) in the lowest quartile to 20.10% (1413/7031) in the highest quartile for the SII ( Ptrend <0.001) and 11.92-19.31% for the SIRI ( Ptrend <0.001). The ORs (95% CIs) of the second, third, and fourth SII quartiles were 1.09 (0.98-1.21), 1.21 (1.09-1.34), and 1.39 (1.26-1.54), respectively. The SIRI findings paralleled the SII outcomes. For the second through fourth quartiles, the ORs (95% CIs) were 1.24 (1.12-1.38), 1.41 (1.27-1.57), and 1.64 (1.48-1.82), respectively. These associations were maintained in subgroup and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION The SII and SIRI are potential independent risk factors contributing to the onset of GDM.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Diabetes, Gestational/immunology* ; Prospective Studies ; Adult ; Inflammation/immunology* ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Birth Cohort

Objective:To develop an artificial intelligence（AI）-based sequential ultrasound-magnetic resonance imaging（US-MRI）diagnostic strategy to optimize the imaging workflow for ovarian masses.Methods:A total of 1 120 patients with pathologically confirmed ovarian masses who underwent both preoperative pelvic ultrasound and MRI between January 2021 and December 2023 at Women's Hospital，Zhejiang University School of Medicine were retrospectively included. Patients were randomly divided into the training（ n=672）and internal test set（ n=448）at a ratio of 6∶4. An external test set（ n=128）was established at the Forth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine. Deep learning was used for automated segmentation of MRI lesions，followed by radiomic feature extraction and machine learning classification to construct both a US-MRI multimodal model and sequential US-MRI strategy. Diagnostic performance and potential healthcare cost-saving effects were evaluated across strategies. Results:In the internal test set（ n=448），the AI-based sequential US-MRI strategy achieved a F1 score of 0.863 and a diagnostic accuracy of 82.14%，with no significant difference compared to the US-MRI multi-modal model（ P>0.05）. The sequential strategy identified 82 cases（18.30%，82/448）of patients as low-risk true negatives during initial ultrasound screening，suggesting a potential to reduce the need for MRI examinations in future clinical practice. In the external test set（ n=128），the strategy achieved an F1 score of 0.800 and a confirmed diagnosis rate of 85.94%，with a theoretical reduction of 26.56%（34 cases）in MRI utilization while maintaining a diagnostic accuracy rate higher than that of the multi-modal model（82.18%）. Conclusions:The AI-based US-MRI sequential diagnostic strategy demonstrates favorable diagnostic accuracy while offering the potential to optimize MRI utilization. This approach may enhance the efficiency of imaging resource allocation and reduce healthcare burden in the management of ovarian masses.