BACKGROUND:The Guilu Erxian Glue consists of Testudinis Plastrum,Cornu Cervi,Lycii Fructus,and Ginseng Radix.In earlier clinical observations,it is discovered that using Guilu Erxian Glue to treat patients with liver-kidney deficiency type knee osteoarthritis effectively alleviated knee pain,increased the range of motion,and improved walking ability.However,the exact mechanism by which oral administration of Guilu Erxian Glue can produce local therapeutic effects on the knee joint is still unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of Guilu Erxian Glue on gut microbiota in rats with knee osteoarthritis and to evaluate its mechanism using 16S rDNA sequencing and machine learning analysis.METHODS:Totally 18 female SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:blank group,model group,and Guilu Erxian Glue group,with 6 rats in each group.A knee osteoarthritis model was prepared using the destabilization of the medial meniscus surgical method.After successful modeling,the Guilu Erxian Glue group was given a decoction of Guilu Erxian Glue by gavage,while the blank and model groups were given an equal amount of distilled water.After 28 days of continuous intervention,high performance liquid chromatography was used to detect the active ingredients of Guilu Erxian Glue.MRI imaging was used to observe the condition of rat knee articular cartilage.Fecal samples were collected;DNA was extracted using a kit,amplified and purified by PCR,and an Illumina sequencing library was constructed.The Illumina MiSeq platform was used for high-throughput sequencing to generate raw sequence data.After obtaining the raw data,QIIME2 software was used to process the data.Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size analysis and random forest algorithm were used to screen for differential species in microbial data.KEGG and MetaCyc functional pathway analyses were used to explore the association between key microbial communities and experimental groups.Linear discriminant analysis effect values and random forest algorithm were used to screen for differential species.Association networks were used to analyze the interactions between microbial communities,and machine learning methods were used to analyze the composition and changes of gut microbiota.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)LC-MS component identification was conducted on the traditional Chinese medicine formula of Guilu Erxian Glue,and a total of 7 effective ingredients were identified.(2)MRI imaging showed that synovitis scope of high-density shadows in rats of the Guilu Erxian Glue group was reduced,and the degeneration of medial femoral condyle cartilage was less than that in the model group.(3)16S rDNA sequencing showed that the model group rats exhibited significant microbial imbalance,with a significant decrease in the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes at the phylum level,while the proportion of Proteobacteria increased significantly(P＜0.05).The gut microbiota structure of rats in the Guilu Erxian Glue group was significantly improved,and the proportion of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes increased,restoring a more diverse microbiota composition,approaching that of the blank group(P＜0.05).(4)KEGG and MetaCyc functional pathway analysis showed that the Guilu Erxian Glue group significantly activated multiple metabolic pathways,including amino acid metabolism,lipid metabolism,and biotin synthesis pathways(P＜0.05).(5)The results indicate that Guilu Erxian Glue contains seven active ingredients,and the changes in gut microbiota of knee osteoarthritis rats were analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing.Guilu Erxian Glue can significantly improve the imbalance of gut microbiota,restore the abundance of beneficial bacteria,and have a significant impact on the composition of gut microbiota,providing scientific basis for the efficacy and mechanism of Guilu Erxian Glue.

BACKGROUND:The Guilu Erxian Glue consists of Testudinis Plastrum,Cornu Cervi,Lycii Fructus,and Ginseng Radix.In earlier clinical observations,it is discovered that using Guilu Erxian Glue to treat patients with liver-kidney deficiency type knee osteoarthritis effectively alleviated knee pain,increased the range of motion,and improved walking ability.However,the exact mechanism by which oral administration of Guilu Erxian Glue can produce local therapeutic effects on the knee joint is still unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of Guilu Erxian Glue on gut microbiota in rats with knee osteoarthritis and to evaluate its mechanism using 16S rDNA sequencing and machine learning analysis.METHODS:Totally 18 female SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:blank group,model group,and Guilu Erxian Glue group,with 6 rats in each group.A knee osteoarthritis model was prepared using the destabilization of the medial meniscus surgical method.After successful modeling,the Guilu Erxian Glue group was given a decoction of Guilu Erxian Glue by gavage,while the blank and model groups were given an equal amount of distilled water.After 28 days of continuous intervention,high performance liquid chromatography was used to detect the active ingredients of Guilu Erxian Glue.MRI imaging was used to observe the condition of rat knee articular cartilage.Fecal samples were collected;DNA was extracted using a kit,amplified and purified by PCR,and an Illumina sequencing library was constructed.The Illumina MiSeq platform was used for high-throughput sequencing to generate raw sequence data.After obtaining the raw data,QIIME2 software was used to process the data.Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size analysis and random forest algorithm were used to screen for differential species in microbial data.KEGG and MetaCyc functional pathway analyses were used to explore the association between key microbial communities and experimental groups.Linear discriminant analysis effect values and random forest algorithm were used to screen for differential species.Association networks were used to analyze the interactions between microbial communities,and machine learning methods were used to analyze the composition and changes of gut microbiota.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)LC-MS component identification was conducted on the traditional Chinese medicine formula of Guilu Erxian Glue,and a total of 7 effective ingredients were identified.(2)MRI imaging showed that synovitis scope of high-density shadows in rats of the Guilu Erxian Glue group was reduced,and the degeneration of medial femoral condyle cartilage was less than that in the model group.(3)16S rDNA sequencing showed that the model group rats exhibited significant microbial imbalance,with a significant decrease in the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes at the phylum level,while the proportion of Proteobacteria increased significantly(P＜0.05).The gut microbiota structure of rats in the Guilu Erxian Glue group was significantly improved,and the proportion of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes increased,restoring a more diverse microbiota composition,approaching that of the blank group(P＜0.05).(4)KEGG and MetaCyc functional pathway analysis showed that the Guilu Erxian Glue group significantly activated multiple metabolic pathways,including amino acid metabolism,lipid metabolism,and biotin synthesis pathways(P＜0.05).(5)The results indicate that Guilu Erxian Glue contains seven active ingredients,and the changes in gut microbiota of knee osteoarthritis rats were analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing.Guilu Erxian Glue can significantly improve the imbalance of gut microbiota,restore the abundance of beneficial bacteria,and have a significant impact on the composition of gut microbiota,providing scientific basis for the efficacy and mechanism of Guilu Erxian Glue.

Purpose To identify hepatocellular carcinoma that responds to repetitive transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)based on CT radiomics.Materials and Methods A total of 96 patients diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February 2018 to May 2024 were randomly divided into a training group(n=67)and internal validation group(n=29)at a ratio of 7∶3.All patients received three or more TACE treatments.Radiomics features were extracted from lipiodol of the target-lesions by semi-automatic segmentation on the axial CT image after TACE within 24 hours.The radiomics model were constructed by five features for differentiating non-response group from response group.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and decision curve were performed to evaluate the performance of the model.Results Child-Pugh classification(OR=2.737,P<0.05),BCLC stage(OR=2.907,P<0.05),multifocal tumors(OR=4.505,P<0.01)and alpha-fetoprotein(OR=1.002,P<0.01)were independent risk factors for predicting tumor response after TACE.The area under the curve of the non-contrast CT based model and the arterial-enhanced CT based model were 0.813 and 0.831 in the experimental group;0.748 and 0.788 in the validation group,respectively.Both of the two models showed good prediction performance.Conclusion The radiomics model based on CT imaging features after first TACE is effectively for differentiating non-response group from response group,lipiodol retention patterns from the target lesion can be the imaging biomarkers for TACE response prediction.

Purpose To identify hepatocellular carcinoma that responds to repetitive transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)based on CT radiomics.Materials and Methods A total of 96 patients diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February 2018 to May 2024 were randomly divided into a training group(n=67)and internal validation group(n=29)at a ratio of 7∶3.All patients received three or more TACE treatments.Radiomics features were extracted from lipiodol of the target-lesions by semi-automatic segmentation on the axial CT image after TACE within 24 hours.The radiomics model were constructed by five features for differentiating non-response group from response group.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and decision curve were performed to evaluate the performance of the model.Results Child-Pugh classification(OR=2.737,P<0.05),BCLC stage(OR=2.907,P<0.05),multifocal tumors(OR=4.505,P<0.01)and alpha-fetoprotein(OR=1.002,P<0.01)were independent risk factors for predicting tumor response after TACE.The area under the curve of the non-contrast CT based model and the arterial-enhanced CT based model were 0.813 and 0.831 in the experimental group;0.748 and 0.788 in the validation group,respectively.Both of the two models showed good prediction performance.Conclusion The radiomics model based on CT imaging features after first TACE is effectively for differentiating non-response group from response group,lipiodol retention patterns from the target lesion can be the imaging biomarkers for TACE response prediction.

Objective To evaluate the long-term efficacy of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)with bare stents and Fluency covered stents in the treatment of portal hypertension,and to discuss its clinical value.Methods The clinical data of 29 patients with intractable ascites or esophagogastric fundus varices rupture and hemorrhage caused by cirrhotic portal hypertension,who received TIPS with bare stents and covered stents at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University of China(25 patients)and the Lishui Municipal Central Hospital of China(4 patients)between August 2012 and December 2017,were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were regularly followed up to check the survival status.The postoperative cumulative shunt patency rate and cumulative survival rate of the patients were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method.Results The technical success rate of TIPS was 100％.The mean portal vein pressure was decreased from preoperative(40.21±3.24)cmH2O to postoperative(24.55±3.55)cmH2O(P＜0.05).The patients were followed up for 5.1-10.5 years.The postoperative 1-,3-,5-,7-year primary cumulative patency rates of the shunt were 89.7％,75.9％,75.9％ and 52.5％,respectively.The postoperative 5-,7-,9-and 10-year cumulative survival rates were 100％,66.9％,66.9％ and 33.4％,respectively.The incidence of hepatic encephalopathy was 13.8％(4/29).Conclusion Using bare stents combined with Fluency covered stents for TIPS is clinically safe and effective in the treatment of portal hypertension.This technique carries higher long-term shunt patency rate and low incidence of hepatic encephalopathy.Therefore,it can be used as a substitute for Viatorr stent when necessary.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:295-299)

OBJECTIVE To stud y the chemical cons tituents of n-butanol part of Qubai tablet and its pharmacodynamic effect on the model of de melanocyte. METHODS The n-butanol part of Qubai tablet was prepared. The chemical constituents were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS）. Taking mice B 16 melanoma cells as the research object ，the de melanocyte model was established and divided into model group ，positive control different concentration groups（8-methoxypsoralen 10，50，100，150，200 μmol/L），solvent group （diluted with DMSO ）and Qubai tablet n-butanol part different concentration groups （10，50，100，150，200 μmol/L）. The number of cells were observed by inverted microscope ，and the cell proliferation rate ，the rate of melanin production and promotion rate of tyrosinase activity were also detected. RESULTS In the positive and negative ion mode ，53 compounds in the n-butanol part of Qubai tablet were preliminarily determined （29 in the positive ion mode ，33 in the negative ion mode ，overlapping 9），of which coumarins accounted for the largest proportion ， followed by flavonoids. The n-butanol part of Qubai tablet could significantly increase the number of cells ，which was positively correlated with the action time and administration concentration. It could significantly increase the proliferation rate of cells ，the rate of melanin production and promotion rate of tyrosinase activity （P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS Coumarins and flavonoids may be the material basis for the anti-vitiligo effect of n-butanol part from Qubai tablet ；anti-vitiligo effect of n-butanol part of Qubai tablet may be realized by promoting tyrosinase activity.

OBJECTIVETo examine the associations of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value from MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with Ki-67 expression and differentiation grade in gastric cancer.

METHODSImages and pathologic data of 68 gastric cancer patients between September 2013 and February 2015 in Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Soochow University were analyzed retrospectively. The expression of Ki-67 antigen in cancer tissue sample was determined by immunohistochemistry. Ki-67 labeling index(LI) was calculated to divide the cases into low Ki-67 group(Ki-67 LI <50%) and high Ki-67 group (Ki-67 LI ≥ 50%). Associations of ADC value with differentiation grade and Ki-67 LI were examined.

RESULTSMean ADC value of low Ki-67 LI group was significantly higher than that of high Ki-67 LI group [(0.977 ± 0.100) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s vs. (0.859 ± 0.064) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, P=0.000]. The ADC value was negatively correlated with Ki-67 LI (r=-0.685, P=0.000). Mean ADC value of well differentiated adenocarcinoma, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and signet-ring cell carcinoma was (1.124 ± 0.080) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, (0.950 ± 0.064) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, (0.899 ± 0.091) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, and (0.894 ± 0.081) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s respectively. Difference of ADC value among differentiation grades was significantly different (F=11.405, P=0.000). Difference of ADC value between well differentiated adenocarcinoma and non-well differentiated adenocarcinoma was significantly different(P=0.000).

CONCLUSIONADC value is associated with differentiation grade and Ki-67 LI of gastric cancer, which may be used as a noninvasive predictor for evaluating the proliferation and differentiation grade of gastric cancer.

Objective To explore the clinical efficiency and safety of radiofrequency ablation combined with Tegafur,Gimeracil and Oteracil Porassium Capsules( S-1 capsules) for hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods Sixty HCC patients included in this study were underwent initial radiofrequency ablation and then they were di-vided into RFA+S-1 group and RFA control group according to the metronomic chemotherapy either with S-1 or not.The local tumor control and disease free survival outcome between the two groups were compared.Results Follow-up observation showed that the total control rate after 9 months′treatment was 93.3%in RFA+S-1 group vs.73.4%in RFA control group(P=0.038).During the 18 months of follow up,the median time for dis-ease free survival was 16.25 months in RFA+S-1 group vs.12.25 months in RFA control group( P<0.001) . One-year progression free survival rate in RFA group was 53.3%,which was significantly lower than the RFA+S-1 group(83.3%)(P=0.012).The major complication rate was 13.3%.No procedu rerelated death or severe complications occurred.Conclusion Metronomic chemotherapy with S-1 following initial radiofrequency ablation delays tumor progression and prolongs overall survival of patients with HCC tumors.

Objective:To design automatic reverse osmosis water system with new design idea of reverse osmosis water system, to make sure of the procedure. Methods:During the design, using microcomputer technology to control water preparation and disinfection. Results:Using MCU to control preparation of water and disinfection, in order to monitor water quality. If water quality exceeds the standard, the system will alarm and generate records. Conclusion: Using microcomputer technology to design Reverse osmosis water system, not only reducing artificial, but also to improve the safety and controllability, even the quality control of reverse osmosis water system.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect and to summarize the experience of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of spleen together with splenic artery balloon block in treating hypersplenism due to cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Methods Under the situation of splenic artery occlusion with balloon, RFA of the spleen was performed in 15 patients with hypersplenism caused by cirrhosis and portal hypertension. The mean duration of RFA was (46.4±5.4) min. Routine blood tests were conducted at 3 days, one week, one, 3 and 6 months after the treatment, and abdominal CT angiography was performed one month after RFA. The results were analyzed. Results One patient developed massive bloody pleural effusion at left thorax three days after RFA, which was improved after hemostasis and thoracic drainage. No severe complications occurred in other patients. Abdominal CT angiography performed one month after RFA showed that the ablated extent by RFA was accounted for about 34.3%-71.8% proportion of the spleen, with a mean of (56.20 ±13.09)%. Preoperative blood tests indicated that the count of white blood cells, red blood corpuscles and blood platelets was (3.88±1.75)×109/L, (4.06±0.37) × 1012/L and (48.14± 11.33)×109/L, respectively. One month after RFA the count of white blood cells and blood platelets increased to (5.62±1.61) ×109/L and (132.29±33.20) ×109/L respectively. When compared with the preoperative data, the differences in the count of white blood cells and blood platelets were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion For the treatment of hypersplenism due to cirrhosis and portal hypertension, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of spleen together with splenic artery balloon block is quite safe and this technique has satisfactory short-term effect.