BACKGROUND:Ammonia poisoning is considered to be the main hypothesis for the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.Ammonia can lead to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral disorders,although the specific pathological molecular mechanisms remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of ammonia poisoning on cognitive behavior and hippocampal neuronal synapses in mice.METHODS:Thirty-two C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal control group and an ammonium chloride group,with 16 mice in each group.Normal saline was injected intraperitoneally in the control group,and ammonium chloride(10 mmol/kg)was injected intraperitoneally in the ammonium chloride group to construct a model of ammonia poisoning,once a day.After 7 days of ammonium chloride intervention,blood samples were collected from the hearts of six mice in each group for blood ammonia concentration detection.Behavioral experiments,including the open field test,novel object recognition test,and Y-maze test,were performed to assess mental and cognitive-behavioral changes in mice.Finally,hippocampal tissues were extracted for western blot analysis to detect the expression levels of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 in hippocampal neurons.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The blood ammonia concentration was significantly elevated in the ammonium chloride group compared with the control group(P＜0.05).Mice in the ammonium chloride group showed anxiety-like behavior and disinhibition phenomenon,and a significant decrease in recognition memory and working memory ability.Western blot results revealed that the expression of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 protein in hippocampal neurons in the ammonium chloride group was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).To conclude,ammonia poisoning can induce hippocampal neuronal synaptic damage,leading to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral abnormalities in mice.

BACKGROUND:Ammonia poisoning is considered to be the main hypothesis for the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.Ammonia can lead to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral disorders,although the specific pathological molecular mechanisms remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of ammonia poisoning on cognitive behavior and hippocampal neuronal synapses in mice.METHODS:Thirty-two C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal control group and an ammonium chloride group,with 16 mice in each group.Normal saline was injected intraperitoneally in the control group,and ammonium chloride(10 mmol/kg)was injected intraperitoneally in the ammonium chloride group to construct a model of ammonia poisoning,once a day.After 7 days of ammonium chloride intervention,blood samples were collected from the hearts of six mice in each group for blood ammonia concentration detection.Behavioral experiments,including the open field test,novel object recognition test,and Y-maze test,were performed to assess mental and cognitive-behavioral changes in mice.Finally,hippocampal tissues were extracted for western blot analysis to detect the expression levels of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 in hippocampal neurons.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The blood ammonia concentration was significantly elevated in the ammonium chloride group compared with the control group(P＜0.05).Mice in the ammonium chloride group showed anxiety-like behavior and disinhibition phenomenon,and a significant decrease in recognition memory and working memory ability.Western blot results revealed that the expression of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 protein in hippocampal neurons in the ammonium chloride group was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).To conclude,ammonia poisoning can induce hippocampal neuronal synaptic damage,leading to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral abnormalities in mice.

Background The decline of physical activity in the elderly due to aging may increase the risk of sarcopenia. Currently, there is a lack of evidence from large natural populations on the relationship between PA and sarcopenia. Objective To explore the relationship between PA and sarcopenia in the elderly aged 60 years and above in 10 provinces (autonomous regions) of China. Methods Data were retrieved from the 2022—2023 round of the China Development and Nutrition Health Impact Cohort. Personal basic information and PA data were collected by questionnaire survey. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by bio-electrical impedance analysis, muscle strength was measured using a grip dynamometer, and physical performance was reflected by 6-meter walk speed. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria were used to diagnose sarcopenia. Light physical activity (LPA) duration, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) duration, and total physical activity volume were calculated. A total of 3326 residents aged ≥60 years with complete data were selected as the survey participants. Multiple logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to assess the association between PA duration/volume and sarcopenia. Results In 10 provinces (autonomous regions) of China, the prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly aged 60 years and above was 5.5% (95%CI: 4.7%, 6.2%). The logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the elderly reporting 0-7.0 h·week⁻¹ in LPA duration, the risk of sarcopenia in the elderly with LPA duration of >14.0-21.0 h·week⁻¹ was reduced by 51% (OR=0.49, 95%CI: 0.26, 0.96). Compared with the elderly with total physical activity ≥15.0 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-h·week⁻¹, those with <7.5 MET-h·week⁻¹ had a 2.24-fold increased risk of sarcopenia (OR=2.24, 95%CI: 1.17, 4.29). The RCS results found that LPA duration and total physical activity volume each showed a nonlinear dose-response relationship with the risk of sarcopenia (P_overall<0.05, P_non-linear<0.05). Compared with the elderly with an LPA duration of 0 h· week⁻¹, the risk of sarcopenia in the elderly with an LPA duration of 12.6 h· week⁻¹ was the lowest (OR=0.42, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.83). Compared with the elderly with a total physical activity volume of 15.0 MET-h· week⁻¹, the elderly with a total physical activity volume of 46.0 MET-h· week⁻¹ had the lowest risk of sarcopenia (OR=0.57, 95%CI: 0.38, 0.84). There was no statistically significant association between weekly MVPA duration and the risk of sarcopenia (P>0.05). Conclusion Increasing weekly LPA duration and total physical activity volume would help to reduce the risk of sarcopenia.

Objective To construct a preoperative prediction model for proliferative hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)based on enhanced CT image features,and to analyze the prognosis of the disease.Methods A retrospective case-control study was conducted on 603 patients with pathologically confirmed HCC.Among them,519 cases from the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University were randomly divided into a training group(n=363)and an internal verification group(n=156)in a ratio of 7:3.Another 84 patients from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University served as an external validation group.All patients underwent abdominal CT scan with contrast before surgery.The clinical data and CT imaging characteristics of proliferative and non-proliferative HCC patients were observed.Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors of proliferative HCC,and a nomogram prediction model was constructed.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted to evaluate its diagnostic performance,and calibration curve and decision curve analysis(DCA)were applied to evaluate its calibration performance and clinical application value.The model was validated in both the internal and external validation groups.Kaplan-Meier survival curves were employed to compare the prognosis between proliferative and non-proliferative HCC.Results Multivariate analysis showed that negative result of HBV-DNA quantification,incomplete tumor capsule,intratumoral necrosis or ischemia(≥20%),and annular hyperenhancement in arterial phase were independent predictors in predicting proliferative HCC(P<0.05).Our nomogram model for predicting proliferative HCC based on the above clinical imaging features had an AUC value of 0.805(95%CI:0.756～0.854),a sensitivity of 83.19%and a specificity of 64.80%in the training group.For the internal validation group,the AUC value was 0.793(95%CI:0.721～0.854),the sensitivity was 67.86%,and the specificity was 75.00%.In the external validation group,the AUC value was 0.842(95%CI:0.746～0.912),the sensitivity was 72.41%,and the specificity was 90.91%.Calibration curve and DCA showed that the model had good calibration performance and clinical applicability.The disease free survival(DFS)of the patients with proliferative HCC diagnosed by pathologically confirmed/predictive models was significantly shorter than that of non-proliferative HCC patients(training group:P=0.005,P<0.001;internal validation group:P=0.006,P=0.006;external validation group:P=0.002,P=0.015).Conclusion Our prediction model based on clinical and imaging features can accurately diagnose proliferative HCC before surgery,and the prognosis of proliferative HCC is generally poor.

Mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCNs) have received considerable attention for biomedical applications due to their unique structural features, including high specific surface area, adjustable pore size, and remarkable biocompatibility. These properties have addressed key challenges such as inefficiencies in drug loading and release, minimizing the side effects associated with conventional treatments. In this review, the classification and the research progress of MCNs are summarized firstly, the preparation and modification techniques to enhance their functionality and properties are further reviewed, the main physicochemical properties are introduced as well, highlighting their contributions to MCNs in applications. In addition, the biomedical applications of MCNs are emphasized, including tumor therapy, tumor theranostics, antibacterial, delivery of active molecules and biological detection. Finally, the prospects and challenges of clinical application based on MCNs are analyzed to provide an effective reference and lay the foundation for further research.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia with t (8;16) (p11;p13) is a rare subtype of AML. This article presents a retrospective analysis of a 19-year-old female patient with t (8;16) (p11;p13) AML, focusing on her clinical features and treatment course, alongside a review of relevant literature. The patient was admitted due to skin ecchymosis and gastrointestinal bleeding, rapidly progressing to disseminated intravascular coagulation. Bone marrow examination revealed an abnormal blast morphology resembling early promyeloblasts, and the initial diagnosis was acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, chromosomal analysis identified the t (8;16) (p11.2;p13.3) translocation. The patient was finally diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia. Following intensive induction chemotherapy, she achieved complete remission, but relapse occurred during consolidation therapy. The overall prognosis was poor. AML with t (8;16) (p11;p13) is relatively rare and characterized by distinct clinical and laboratory features, with a generally unfavorable prognosis. Early recognition by clinicians is crucial for appropriate management.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) refers to the simultaneous treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and the effect of radiotherapy is enhanced with low-dose chemotherapy, which can reduce tumor recurrence and metastasis and improve clinical prognosis of patients. At present, the main factors for the increase of radiosensitivity of concurrent chemotherapy is that concurrent chemotherapy prevents the repair of tumor cells, and chemotherapy and radiotherapy act on different cell cycles and have synergistic effects. However, even for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) who have undergone CCRT, the 5-year survival rate is only 60%, which is still not ideal. In order to improve the efficacy, researchers have conducted a series of exploratory studies, which consist of the combination of targeted drugs and immunodrugs, and neoadjuvant regimens before CCRT, etc. Although targeted or immunologic drugs are effective treatment of LACC, in view of the lack of large-scale evidence-based medical evidence, multi-center prospective and randomized phase III clinical trials and high-level articles are needed to improve the level of evidence-based medicine. This consensus summarizes several key evidence-based medical studies published recently, especially the clinical research progress in targeted and immunological therapies, providing reference for domestic peers.

Background::Total human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA and integrated HIV DNA are widely used markers of HIV persistence. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) can be used for absolute quantification without needing a standard curve. Here, we developed duplex ddPCR assays to detect and quantify total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA.Methods::The limit of detection, dynamic ranges, sensitivity, and reproducibility were evaluated by plasmid constructs containing both the HIV long terminal repeat (LTR) and human CD3 gene (for total HIV DNA) and ACH-2 cells (for integrated HIV DNA). Forty-two cases on stable suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) were assayed in total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA. Correlation coefficient analysis was performed on the data related to DNA copies and cluster of differentiation 4 positive (CD4 +) T-cell counts, CD8 + T-cell counts and CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio, respectively. The assay linear dynamic range and lower limit of detection (LLOD) were also assessed. Results::The assay could detect the presence of HIV-1 copies 100% at concentrations of 6.3 copies/reaction, and the estimated LLOD of the ddPCR assay was 4.4 HIV DNA copies/reaction (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 3.6-6.5 copies/reaction) with linearity over a 5-log 10-unit range in total HIV DNA assay. For the integrated HIV DNA assay, the LLOD was 8.0 copies/reaction (95% CI: 5.8-16.6 copies/reaction) with linearity over a 3-log 10-unit range. Total HIV DNA in CD4 + T cells was positively associated with integrated HIV DNA ( r = 0.76, P <0.0001). Meanwhile, both total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA in CD4 + T cells were inversely correlated with the ratio of CD4/CD8 but positively correlated with the CD8 + T-cell counts. Conclusions::This ddPCR assay can quantify total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA efficiently with robustness and sensitivity. It can be readily adapted for measuring HIV DNA with non-B clades, and it could be beneficial for testing in clinical trials.

Objective To construct a training program for retuming to work after delivery based on Morrison's job adaptation theory in operating room nurses and to explore its application effect.Methods On the basis of literature research and Delphi expert consultation method,a training program of postpartum return of operating room nurses was constructed.From August 2021 to December 2022,the preliminary application of this research program was carried out,with 6 cases in an experimental group and 5 cases in a control group.The differences between the 2 groups were compared by Job Adaptation Scale,Psychological Resilience Scale and satisfaction evaluation,and the application effect was evaluated.Results After 2 rounds of correspondence,a training program for postpartum return of operating room nurses was formed,which included 4 first-level indicators(role adaptation,task adaptation,environment adaptation and cultural adaptation),and 32 second-level indicators.The authority coefficients of the 2 rounds of correspondence consultation were 0.908 and 0.917,and the Kendall W coefficients were 0.224 and 0.206,respectively(both P＜0.001).The preliminary application results showed that there were statistically significant differences in job adaptation and satisfaction evaluation between the 2 groups(both P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in psychological resilience score between groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The postpartum retum training program for operating room nurses established in this study is scientific and practical to a certain extent.In the future,samples can be expanded and multi-center studies can be carried out to further test the practicability and effectiveness of the program.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia with t (8;16) (p11;p13) is a rare subtype of AML. This article presents a retrospective analysis of a 19-year-old female patient with t (8;16) (p11;p13) AML, focusing on her clinical features and treatment course, alongside a review of relevant literature. The patient was admitted due to skin ecchymosis and gastrointestinal bleeding, rapidly progressing to disseminated intravascular coagulation. Bone marrow examination revealed an abnormal blast morphology resembling early promyeloblasts, and the initial diagnosis was acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, chromosomal analysis identified the t (8;16) (p11.2;p13.3) translocation. The patient was finally diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia. Following intensive induction chemotherapy, she achieved complete remission, but relapse occurred during consolidation therapy. The overall prognosis was poor. AML with t (8;16) (p11;p13) is relatively rare and characterized by distinct clinical and laboratory features, with a generally unfavorable prognosis. Early recognition by clinicians is crucial for appropriate management.