The surgical management of empyema (excluding those caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria) is rapidly evolving towards minimally invasive, precise, and stepwise approaches. The traditional three-stage classification (exudative, fibrinopurulent, and organizing) has limitations in guiding dynamic clinical decision-making. For the first time, this consensus explicitly identifies two critical junctures in the pathological progression of empyema: "early transformation" (stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ) and "late transformation" (stage Ⅱ to Ⅲ), and thereby constructs a corresponding "identification-early warning-intervention" stepwise therapeutic framework. The consensus emphasizes that proactive debridement via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery should be performed during the early transformation phase to halt disease progression. Conversely, during the late transformation phase, therapeutic goals should be rationally adjusted to prioritize adequate drainage, avoiding futile pleural decortication. Moreover, the consensus underscores the pivotal role of precise perioperative etiological diagnosis (e.g. metagenomic nest-generation sequencing) and standardized anti-infective therapy. Integrating practical experiences from multiple thoracic surgery centers in China and relevant evidence-based literature, this consensus formulates recommendations on the precise definitions of staging, surgical indications for each phase, key technical points, perioperative management, and training systems. It aims to promote the standardized and individualized surgical management of empyema, ultimately optimizing patient prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

Tic disorders in children refer to the neurodevelopmental disorders usually occurring in childhood and adolescence.Guided by the theory of five-zang-organ correlation,Professor Li Yirui approaches the treatment of tic disorders in children and comorbidities primarily from the perspective of liver-spleen disharmony,and points out that the pathogenesis is due to liver-spleen disharmony,wind-phlegm disturbance,and mutual involvement of the five zang organs.In clinical practice,Professor Li established the therapeutic principle of regulating the liver and spleen,extinguishing wind,and resolving phlegm,and adopted the four liver-regulating methods(calming liver,soothing liver,clearing liver,and softening liver)to extinguish wind and stop tics,as well as the four spleen-regulating methods(replenishing spleen,activating spleen,awakening spleen,and dredging spleen)to strengthen body resistance and support healthy qi.The self-formulated Fupi Xifeng Decoction(composed of Pseudostellariae Radix,Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Poria,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Bupleuri Radix,Paeoniae Radix Alba,Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis,Gastrodiae Rhizoma,Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum,Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,Os Draconis,etc.)serves as the basic formula,herbs directing to the affected regions were flexibly used,and insect drugs were occasionally adopted for refractory cases.The treatment for tic disorders in children focus on simultaneous regulation of the five zang-organs by modified use of herbs for dispersing wind and benefiting lung,tranquilizing heart and calming spirit,and supplementing liver and kidney to address comorbidities and secondary symptoms.Additionally,integrated internal-external treatment,relieving the discomforts physically and mentally,and family-centered comprehensive care are also taken into account to achieve optimal outcomes.

Ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA)is a naturally occurring,low-toxicity,and hydrophilic bile acid(BA)in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA.Solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate,and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers.Retroperitoneal liposarcoma(RLPS)refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area.Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly down-regulated metabolites in sera of RIPS patients compared with healthy subjects.The augmentation of UDCA concentration(≥25 μg/mL)demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells.[15N2]-cystine and[13Cs]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione(GSH)synthesis.Mechanistically,UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis,leading to reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage.Furthermore,UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers(Erastin,RSL3),the murine double minute 2(MDM2)inhibitors(Nutlin 3a,RG7112),cyclin dependent kinase 4(CDK4)inhibitor(Abemaciclib),and glutaminase inhibitor(CB839).Together,UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity,and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA.More importantly,in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments,UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of Tongnaoyin on the blood-brain barrier status and neurological impairment in acute ischemic stroke （AIS） patients with the syndrome of phlegm-stasis blocking collaterals by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging （DCE-MRI）. MethodsA total of 63 patients diagnosed with AIS in the Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine from October 2022 to December 2023 were enrolled in this study. According to random number table method，the patients were assigned into a control group （32 cases） and an observation group （31 cases）. The control group received conventional Western medical treatment，and the observation group took 200 mL Tongnaoyin after meals，twice a day from day 2 of admission on the basis of the treatment in the control group. After 7 days of treatment，the patients were examined by DCE-MRI. The baseline data for two groups of patients before treatment were compared. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale （NIHSS） score and modified Rankin Scale （mRS） score were recorded before treatment and after 90 days of treatment for both groups. The rKtrans，rKep，and rVe values were obtained from the region of interest （ROI） of the infarct zone/mirror area and compared between the two groups. ResultsThere was no significant difference in the NIHSS or mRS score between the two groups before treatment. After 90 days of treatment，the NIHSS and mRS scores declined in both groups，and the observation group had lower scores than the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment，the rKtrans and rVe in the observation group were lower than those in the control group （P<0.01）. ConclusionCompared with conventional Western medical treatment alone，conventional Western medical treatment combined with Tongnaoyin accelerates the repair of the blood-brain barrier in AIS patients，thereby ameliorating neurological impairment after AIS to improve the prognosis.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for treating functional constipation, analyze the incidence of, and factors that influence, adverse events, and provide scientific evidence for optimizing FMT treatment.Methods:This retrospective, multicenter, single-arm, pre–post real-world study included 1529 patients with functional constipation from four clinical centers. Eligibility criteria comprised meeting the diagnostic criteria for functional constipation, having undergone at least one FMT treatment, complete pre- and post-treatment data available, and age ≥18 years. Patients who had received other interventions affecting gut function within 1 month before treatment and those with severe organic diseases or immune deficiencies were excluded. Applying the above criteria yielded 1529 eligible patients with functional constipation from four medical centers (1405 from the Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, 20 from the Central Hospital of Wuhan, 67 from the Shanxi Bethune Hospital and 37 from the Longgang District People's Hospital of Shenzhen). The study cohort comprised 746 male (48.8%) and 783 female patients (51.2%) of mean age (51.4 ± 17.4) years, mean body mass index (26.4 ± 4.9) kg/m2, and mean duration of disease (15.0 ± 8.3) years. The primary outcomes were the incidence, types, and severity of adverse reactions during treatment, and their impact on patients' quality of life. Secondary outcomes included: (1) the efficacy of FMT in treating constipation. This was assessed based on changes in Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) scores, where higher score indicates worse symptom. (2) Subjective satisfaction, evaluated through questionnaires or rating scales, reflecting patients' acceptance of and satisfaction with the treatment, with scores ranging from 1 to 5, where higher scores indicated greater satisfaction. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to evaluate changes in symptom scores and biochemical indicators before and after treatment. Logistic regression was performed to analyze factors influencing adverse events, and subgroup analyses to explored differences in efficacy between patient groups.Results:In this cohort of 1529 patients with functional constipation, adverse reactions were primarily mild to moderate (1048/1529,68.5%). They comprised fever in 54 patients (3.5%), dizziness or fatigue in 218 (14.3%), throat discomfort in 806 (52.7%), nausea and vomiting in 166 (10.9%), and abdominal distension or pain in 415 (27.1%). According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, PAC-SYM scores were associated with the rate of adverse reactions, higher scores indicating a lower risk (OR = 0.958, 95% CI: 0.923–0.993, P=0.021). Among the 1529 patients, 274 (17.9%) underwent two or more treatment courses. After one treatment course, the patients' PAC-SYM scores decreased from (37.7 ± 3.2) pre-treatment to (23.7 ± 8.6) (mean difference 14.0 ± 9.1). PAC-SYM scores decreased by (20.7 ± 7.7) after two courses of FMT, and by (19.4 ± 6.3) after three courses. After treatment, 50.7%(775/1529) of patients reported satisfaction scores of ≥4. Adverse reactions impacted satisfaction; specifically, dizziness/fatigue, throat discomfort, and abdominal distension/pain were significantly associated with satisfaction (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:FMT achieved good relief of symptoms of functional constipation and multiple treatment courses have a cumulative effect. Adverse reactions, mainly dizziness/fatigue, throat discomfort, and abdominal distension/pain, had significant negative impacts on patient satisfaction.

Objective To analyze the reverse mechano-electric effect of the layered structure of articular cartilage and its influencing factors.Methods The cartilage samples were classified according to their physiological thickness(approximately 0.4 mm for the upper layer,1 mm for the middle layer,and 0.6 mm for the lower layer).Through a non-contact external electric field testing method,how different influencing factors affected the reverse mechano-electric effect of articular cartilage was analyzed.Results When the electric field spacing decreased,water content increased,and in vitro time decreased,the displacement of normal layered cartilage in a non-contact electric field increased by 18,10,15 μm,respectively.In the case of simulated arthritis defects,as the defect depth and radius increased,the overall deviation deflection of articular cartilage gradually decreased by about 7 μm.Conclusions The three-layer cartilage differed in their reverse mechano-electricity effects,showing the greatest deflection in the middle layer at 90％water content,under 7 mm electric field spacing,and after 12 hours ex vivo.

In recent years, hybrid brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have gained significant attention due to their demonstrated advantages in increasing the number of targets and enhancing robustness of the systems. However, Existing studies usually construct BCI systems using intense auditory stimulation and strong central visual stimulation, which lead to poor user experience and indicate a need for improving system comfort. Studies have proved that the use of peripheral visual stimulation and lower intensity of auditory stimulation can effectively boost the user's comfort. Therefore, this study used high-frequency peripheral visual stimulation and 40-dB weak auditory stimulation to elicit steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) and auditory steady-state response (ASSR) signals, building a high-comfort hybrid BCI based on weak audio-visual evoked responses. This system coded 40 targets via 20 high-frequency visual stimulation frequencies and two auditory stimulation frequencies, improving the coding efficiency of BCI systems. Results showed that the hybrid system's averaged classification accuracy was (78.00 ± 12.18) %, and the information transfer rate (ITR) could reached 27.47 bits/min. This study offers new ideas for the design of hybrid BCI paradigm based on imperceptible stimulation.
Brain-Computer Interfaces ; Humans ; Evoked Potentials, Visual/physiology* ; Acoustic Stimulation ; Photic Stimulation ; Electroencephalography ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory/physiology* ; Adult

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory loss, with few effective treatments currently available. The multifactorial nature of AD, shaped by genetic, environmental, and biological factors, complicates both research and clinical management. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-omics technologies provide new opportunities to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of AD and identify early biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. AI-driven approaches such as machine learning, deep learning, and network-based models have enabled the integration of large-scale genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and microbiomic datasets. These efforts have facilitated the discovery of novel molecular signatures and therapeutic targets. Methods including deep belief networks and joint deep semi-non-negative matrix factorization have contributed to improvements in disease classification and patient stratification. However, ongoing challenges remain. These include data heterogeneity, limited interpretability of complex models, a lack of large and diverse datasets, and insufficient clinical validation. The absence of standardized multi-omics data processing methods further restricts progress. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in AI-driven multi-omics research in AD, highlighting achievements in early diagnosis and biomarker discovery while discussing limitations and future directions needed to advance these approaches toward clinical application.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.