Objective To investigate the influence of plasma infusion during orthotopic liver transplantation on the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in recipients. Methods Cinical data of 473 liver transplant recipients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively collected. The study included 354 recipients who received plasma infusion during the operation (plasma group) and 119 recipients who did not receive plasma infusion during the operation (control group). Preoperative conditions, donor conditions, intraoperative conditions, main outcome indicators and secondary outcome indicators of the two groups were analyzed and compared. Receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to calculate the maximum cut-off value of intraoperative plasma infusion volume that affected the occurrence of AKI within 7 days after surgery. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between intraoperative plasma infusion volume and the incidence of AKI within 7 days after surgery. Results Before propensity score matching, the incidence of AKI within 7 days after surgery and the incidence of grade Ⅲ AKI in the plasma group were higher than those in the control group (both P<0.05). After propensity score matching, 62 recipients were included in each group. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of AKI within 7 days after surgery between the plasma group and the control group, but the incidence of grade Ⅲ AKI within 7 days after surgery in the plasma group was higher than that in the control group (P=0.041). Logistic regression analysis showed that intraoperative plasma infusion volume >900 mL was a potential risk factor for AKI within 7 days after surgery (odds ratio=1.936, 95% confidence interval 1.193-3.142, P=0.007). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of 365-day postoperative fatality, reperfusion syndrome, and postoperative 30-day complications between the two groups before and after propensity score matching. In addition, the postoperative albumin, fibrinogen levels, and international normalized ratio in the plasma group were better than those in the control group before and after matching (all P<0.05). Conclusions Large amount of intraoperative plasma infusion is associated with an increased risk of grade Ⅲ AKI after orthotopic liver transplantation. Intraoperative plasma infusion volume >900 mL may increase the risk of AKI within 7 days after surgery.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features and outcomes of recompensation in patients with autoimmune hepatitis （AIH）-related decompensated cirrhosis， to identify independent predictive factors， and to construct a nomogram prediction model for the probability of recompensation. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted among the adult patients with AIH-related decompensated cirrhosis who were admitted to The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2015 to August 2023 （n=211）. The primary endpoint was achievement of recompensation， and the secondary endpoint was liver-related death or liver transplantation. According to the outcome of the patients at the end of the follow-up， the patients were divided into the recompensation group （n=16） and the persistent decompensation group（n=150）.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data with homogeneity of variance， and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data with heterogeneity of variance； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups； the Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis； the Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to identify independent predictive factors， and a nomogram model was constructed and validated. ResultsA total of 211 patients were enrolled， with a median age of 55.0 years and a median follow-up time of 44.0 months， and female patients accounted for 87.2%. Among the 211 patients， 61 （with a cumulative proportion of 35.5%） achieved recompensation. Compared with the persistent decompensation group， the recompensation group had significantly higher white blood cell count， platelet count （PLT）， total bilirubin （TBil）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， total bile acid， prothrombin time， international normalized ratio （INR）， SMA positive rate， Model for End-Stage Liver Disease （MELD） score， Child-Pugh score， and rate of use of glucocorticoids （all P0.05）， as well as significantly lower age at baseline， number of complications， and death/liver transplantation rate （all P0.05）. At 3 and 12 months after treatment， the recompensation group had continuous improvements in AST， TBil， INR， IgG， MELD score， and Child-Pugh score， which were significantly lower than the values in the persistent decompensation group （all P0.05）， alongside with continuous increases in PLT and albumin， which were significantly higher than the values in the persistent decompensation group （P0.05）. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that baseline ALT （hazard ratio ［HR］=1.067， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.010 — 1.127， P=0.021）， IgG （HR=0.463，95%CI：0.258 — 0.833， P=0.010）， SMA positivity （HR=3.122，95%CI：1.768 — 5.515， P0.001）， and glucocorticoid therapy （HR=20.651，95%CI：8.744 — 48.770， P0.001） were independent predictive factors for recompensation， and the nomogram model based on these predictive factors showed excellent predictive performance （C-index=0.87，95%CI：0.84 — 0.90）. ConclusionAchieving recompensation significantly improves clinical outcomes in patients with AIH-related decompensated cirrhosis. Baseline SMA positivity， a high level of ALT， a low level of IgG， and corticosteroid therapy are independent predictive factors for recompensation. The predictive model constructed based on these factors can provide a basis for decision-making in individualized clinical management.

With the widespread adoption of lung cancer screening, an increasing number of patients are being diagnosed with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. For stage ⅠA lung adenocarcinoma, sublobar resection is the primary treatment approach. However, in patients with concomitant spread through air space (STAS), numerous studies advocate for lobectomy as the mainstay of treatment. Due to the limitations in preoperative prediction and intraoperative frozen section evaluation for assessing STAS, current research is largely restricted to using clinical and imaging features to predict STAS occurrence, with results that are inconsistent and unsatisfactory. Furthermore, most studies focus on individual clinical or imaging characteristics, and there is a lack of large-sample investigations. The rise of artificial intelligence in recent years has provided new insights into solving this problem, and existing studies have shown that artificial intelligence demonstrates better performance in STAS prediction compared to conventional methods. This article reviews the value of artificial intelligence in predicting STAS.

Objective To compare seminal carnitine levels between normal males and asthenozoospermic patients,evaluate its correla-tion with progressive motility(PR)of sperm,and observe the effects of exogenous carnitine supplementation on asthenozoospermic pa-tients.Methods Semen samples were collected from 511 normal fertile males and asthenozoospermic patients.Seminal was measured using a fixed-time assay kit and the levels of carnitine were compared between the two groups.The consistency between seminal carni-tine and PR was assessed.Additionally,77 asthenozoospermic patients received L-carnitine(1 g/time,3 times/day,30 days/course).The levels of seminal carnitine and PR alteration pre-and post-treatment were monitored.Results The seminal L-carnitine level in the patients with asthenospermia([194.34±65.41]μmol/L)was significantly lower than that in normal fertile males([405.43±72.12]μmol/L)(P＜0.01).When the seminal L-carnitine level ≥325 μmol/L was set as the threshold,the statistical results showed that Kappa value was 0.81,with a diagnostic coincidence rate of 93.74％.After one course of administration of L-carnitine,the concentra-tion of seminal L-carnitine([356.03±84.87]μmol/L)and PR([32.69±8.35]％)were significantly higher those that before treat-ment([183.61±79.54]μmol/L and[16.56±7.74]％,P＜0.01).Conclusion The seminal carnitine assay kit could be used for ac-curate and high-throughput quantification of clinical samples,facilitating asthenozoospermia diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy evalua-tion.Exogenous carnitine supplementation may elevate seminal carnitine levels and sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients and po-tentially improve their fertility.

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of contrast-enhanced chest CT in the detection of responsible vessels for hemoptysis before selective arterial embolization(SAE).Methods The clinical data of 74 patients with hemoptysis trea-ted with interventional therapy and preoperative contrast-enhanced chest CT and digital subtraction angiography(DSA)were ana-lyzed retrospectively.The responsible vessels were identified and then embolized via angiography.The detection of the responsible vessels via preoperative contrast-enhanced chest CT was analyzed.The patients were followed up to observe the efficacy and compli-cations,and the influencing factors of interventional efficacy and recurrence were analyzed.Results A total of 245 responsible ves-sels were detected by preoperative contrast-enhanced chest CT,including bronchial arteries(n=178),ectopic bronchial arteries(n=10)and non-bronchial systemic artery(NBSA)(n=57),which could accurately show the anatomical information of responsible vessels.A total of 4 posterior intercostal arteries were missed.The diagnostic accuracy was 98.4％(245/249).All patients were followed up for 12 to 25.6 months.The immediate hemostasis rate was 93.2％(69/74)and the effective rate was 79.7％(59/74),respectively.The factors affecting the efficacy were bronchial artery to pulmonary circulation fistula,pleural thickening at the bleeding site,and underly-ing lung disease.Among the 59 patients with effective treatment,underlying lung disease was the influencing factor for postoperative recurrence.Conclusion Contrast-enhanced chest CT can provide anatomical information about the responsible vessels for interven-tional therapy of hemoptysis,improving surgical efficiency and reducing the recurrence rate of hemoptysis.

In order to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) for children in China, Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine initiated the development of this Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Children with Upper Airway cough Syndrome based on evidence-based medical evidence. This guideline will process registration, write a plan, and develop relevant processes and writing norms, develop and publish official documents. This plan mainly introduces the scope of the guidelines, the purpose and significance, the composition of the guidelines working group, the management of conflicts of interest, the collection, selection and determination of clinical problems, the retrieval, screening and rating of evidence, and the consensus of recommendations. Registration information: This study has been registered in the international practice guidelines registry platform with the registration code of PREPARE-2023CN087.

Aim To explore the effect and mechanism of the artesunate(ART)on hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The cell lines MHCC-97H and HCC-LM3 were used to be detected.MTT and clone formation were used to determine the cell proliferation;Wound healing was used to detect the cell migration;Transwell was used to test the cell invasion.Flow-cy-tometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and cell cy-cle.RNA-seq and qRT-PCR was used to detect the genes expression.Results The proliferation,migra-tion and invasion of treated cells were obviously inhibi-ted(P＜0.01).Moreover,the apoptosis rate in-creased significantly,so did the proportion of G2/M cells.Transcriptomic analysis identified GADD45A as a potential target of ART through RNA-sequencing da-ta,and suggested that ART might induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest through regulating the expression of GADD45A.In addition,the results of mechanism studies and signaling analysis suggested that GADD45A had interaction with its upstream gene NACC1(nucle-us accumbens associated 1).Moreover,after ART treatment,the expressions of GADD45A and NACC1 were changed significantly.Conclusion ART may be a potential drug to resist HCC by affecting the expres-sion of GADD45A and its upstream gene NACC1,which provides a new drug,a new direction and a new method for the clinical treatment of HCC.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between computed tomography (CT) findings and serum micrornA-497 (miR-497), carbohydrate polypeptide antigen 24-2 (CA24-2) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) expression in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods:A total of 64 CRC patients admitted to the Jiangsu Cancer Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were prospectively selected, and the surgical pathological results were used as the gold standard. Preoperative CT examination and serum miR-497, CA24-2 and HBsAg levels were performed in all patients. The CT images of the patients were analyzed. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between CT findings and serum miR-497, CA24-2 and HBsAg expression levels in CRC patients.Results:The CT imaging features of CRC patients were as follows: The intestinal wall was semi-annular in 37.50%(24/64), annular in 32.81%(21/64), localized thickening in 29.69%(19/64), the intestinal lumen was irregular and narrow, and most of the periintestinal fat was blurred in 59.38%(38/64). 67.19%(43/64) showed uneven enhancement, 51.56%(33/64) had lymph node metastasis and 43.75%(28/64) had liver metastasis. Lymph node metastasis in CRC patients was correlated with serum miR-497 and CA24-2 levels (all P<0.05), but not with serum HBsAg levels ( P>0.05). Liver metastasis in CRC patients was associated with serum HBsAg expression ( P<0.05), but not with serum miR-497 and CA24-2 levels (all P>0.05). Other CT findings of CRC patients were not correlated with serum miR-497, CA24-2 and HBsAg levels (all P>0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that lymph node metastasis in CRC patients was negatively correlated with the expression level of serum miR-497 ( r=-0.491, P<0.05), while positively correlated with the expression level of serum CA24-2 ( r=0.506, P<0.05). There was no correlation with serum HBsAg expression level ( P>0.05). The occurrence of liver metastasis in CRC patients was negatively correlated with the expression level of serum HBsAg ( r=-0.529, P<0.05), but was not correlated with the expression levels of serum miR-497 and CA24-2 (all P>0.05). Conclusions:CT imaging findings can evaluate the biological behavior of tumor cells in CRC patients to a certain extent, and have a certain correlation with the expression levels of serum miR-497, CA24-2 and HBsAg, which can reflect the lymph node and liver metastasis of tumors, and provide a basis for clinical comprehensive treatment and prognosis prediction of patients.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of single posterior osteotomy in the correction of rigid cervical spine deformities (CSD) and to explore the indications and key surgical techniques involved.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 9 patients with rigid CSD who underwent single posterior osteotomy correction between June 2012 and June 2023 in the Department of Spine Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. The cohort comprised 4 males and 5 females, with a mean age of 19.8±27.2 years (range, 7-48 years). Among these, 5 cases were congenital CSD, 3 were post-tuberculosis deformities, and 1 was iatrogenic. Various coronal and sagittal alignment parameters were measured, including C 1, 2 angle, cervical lordosis (CL), structural scoliosis angle (SSA), structural kyphosis angle (SKA), head tilt (HT), C 2-C 7 sagittal vertical axis (CSVA), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), coronal balance distance (CBD), T 1 slope (T 1S), and the difference between T 1 tilt and cervical lordosis (T 1S-CL). Clinical outcomes were assessed using the neck disability index (NDI), visual analogue scale (VAS), and Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire (SRS-22). Results:The average operation time was 273.9±76.1 min, with an average blood loss of 472.2±128.8 ml. All 9 patients were followed up for an average of 45.2±41.8 months (range, 12-116 months). A total of 7 patients underwent single-segment osteotomies (C 3, C 6 and C 7: 1 case each; C 5: 4 cases), and 2 patients underwent double-segment osteotomies (C 2 and C 7, C 3 and C 4). Four cases involved pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), while 7 cases required vertebral column resection. The upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) was located at the occiput in 1 case and in the cervical spine in 8 cases. The lower instrumented vertebra (LIV) was located in the upper thoracic spine in 6 cases and in the cervical spine in 3 cases, with 2 of the latter cases having both UIV and LIV in the cervical spine. The average number of fused segments was 7.6±4.4 segments (range, 2-12 segments). All patients achieved successful bone fusion within an average of 8.8±3.2 months (range, 6-12 months). Preoperatively, the mean values for CL, SSA, SKA, HT, and CBD were 19.8° (17.2°, 30.5°), 27.4°(23.3°, 30.4°), 28.4°(25.6°, 30.1°), 9.0°(6.2°, 12.3°), and 18.5(12.3, 23.6) mm, respectively. Postoperative improvements were noted with values of -11.1°(-8.8°, -14.4°), 1.3°(0.8°, 1.6°), -11.1°(-8.6°, -14.5°), 1.6°(0.5°, 2.2°), and 9.4 (4.8-13.5) mm, respectively. At the final follow-up, these parameters were maintained, with values of -11.0°(-8.8°, -14.3°), 1.2°(0.8°, 1.5°), -11.0° (-8.6°, -14.3°), 1.5°(0.5°, 2.2°), and 9.4(4.8, 13.4) mm, respectively. Statistically significant improvements were observed between preoperative and postoperative measurements ( P<0.05), except for C 1, 2 angle, CSVA, SVA, T 1S, and T 1S-CL ( P>0.05). NDI and SRS-22 scores showed significant improvements postoperatively ( P<0.05), while VAS scores did not show a significant change ( P>0.05). Postoperative complications included transient nerve injury in two patients, one case of right central retinal artery occlusion, and one case of vertebral artery injury. Conclusion:This study confirms the safety and efficacy of single posterior osteotomy for treating rigid CSD of various etiologies. Standard PSO or modified techniques are effective for correcting cervical kyphosis, while hemivertebra resection and concave-side distraction are recommended for congenital scoliosis or kyphoscoliosis.

This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism and the compatibility significance of Tanyu Tongzhi Formula in treating atherosclerosis(AS) in mice based on the transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. Eight C57BL/6J mice were as assigned to a normal control group and fed a regular diet, while 35 ApoE~(-/-) mice of the same strain were fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to establish an AS model. The model mice were randomly divided into a model group, a Tanyu Tongzhi group(18.2 mg·kg~(-1)), a Huatan(phlegm-resolving) group(10.4 mg·kg~(-1)), and a Quyu(blood stasis-resolving) group(7.8 mg·kg~(-1)), with 8 mice in each group. Except for the normal group, all other groups continued to be fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to maintain the AS model, and then the mice were treated by gavage for 8 weeks. Plasma levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and interleukin-18(IL-18) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining, oil red O staining, and Russell-Movat pentachrome staining were performed to observe the pathological changes in the aortic tissue. The proportions of aortic plaque area, lipid-stained area, collagen fibers, and elastic fibers were calculated. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2(MMP2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2(TIMP2). Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, Smad2/3, and Smad7 in aortic tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β receptor(TGF-βR), TGF-β1, Smad2/3, Smad7, intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1) in aortic tissue. The results showed that compared with the normal control group, the model group had increased plasma TC and LDL-C, significantly decreased HDL-C, and significantly elevated plasma IL-1β and IL-18 levels. The model group also exhibited an increased proportion of aortic plaque area, lipid-stained area, and collagen fiber area, along with significantly upregulated MMP2 and downregulated TIMP2 expression in the aortic arch. Additionally, the expression levels of TGF-βR, TGF-β1, and p-Smad2/3 proteins and mRNA in the aortic tissue were significantly elevated, while Smad7 expression was decreased. Compared with the model group, the Tanyu Tongzhi group showed significantly reduced plasma TC and LDL-C levels, significantly increased HDL-C levels, and significantly decreased plasma IL-1β and IL-18 levels. The Tanyu Tongzhi group also exhibited a significant reduction in aortic plaque size and severity, a significant downregulation of MMP2 expression in the aortic arch, and significantly decreased ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 mRNA expression levels. Moreover, the Tanyu Tongzhi group demonstrated significantly reduced expression levels of TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/3 proteins and mRNA in the aortic tissue, and an increased expression level of Smad7 protein to varying degrees. Compared with the Tanyu Tongzhi group, the Quyu group had significantly higher LDL-C levels and elevated plasma IL-1β and IL-18 levels. The Huatan group showed upregulated MMP2 expression and downregulated TIMP2 expression in the aortic arch. In conclusion, Tanyu Tongzhi Formula, which is composed based on the pathogenesis of phlegm and blood stasis, maintains vascular homeostasis by primarily regulating lipid metabolism and controlling inflammatory factors through the Huatan group, and maintaining vascular wall permeability, inhibiting plaque development, and stabilizing plaques through the Quyu group. The mechanism of action may involve inhibiting TGF-β1 expression in the aorta, reducing Smad2/3 phosphorylation, and simultaneously increasing Smad7 expression.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Male ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics* ; Humans ; Homeostasis/drug effects* ; Aorta/metabolism* ; Smad2 Protein/genetics* ; Smad3 Protein/genetics*