Objective To explore the application of plasma 7 microRNA (miR7) testing in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods This study is a multicenter real-world study. Patients with single hepatic lesion (maximum diameter≤2 cm) who underwent plasma miR7 testing at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital, and Peking University People’s Hospital between January 2019 and December 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into very early-stage HCC group and non-HCC group, and the clinical pathological characteristics of the two groups were compared. The value of plasma miR7 levels, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage HCC was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC). In patients with both negative AFP and DCP (AFP＜20 ng/mL, DCP＜40 mAU/mL), the diagnostic value of plasma miR7 for very early-stage HCC was analyzed. Results A total of 64 528 patients from 4 hospitals underwent miR7 testing, and 1 682 were finally included, of which 1 073 were diagnosed with very early-stage HCC and 609 were diagnosed with non-HCC. The positive rate of miR7 in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in non-HCC patients (67.9% vs 24.3%, P＜0.001). ROC curves showed that the AUCs for miR7, AFP, and DCP in distinguishing HCC patients from the non-HCC individuals were 0.718, 0.682, and 0.642, respectively. The sensitivities were 67.85%, 43.71%, and 44.45%, and the specificities were 75.70%, 92.78%, and 83.91%, respectively. The pairwise comparison of AUCs showed that the diagnostic efficacy of plasma miR7 detection was significantly better than that of AFP or DCP (P＜0.05). Although its specificity was slightly lower than AFP and DCP, the sensitivity was significantly higher. Among patients negative for both AFP and DCP, miR7 maintained an AUC of 0.728 for diagnosing very early-stage HCC, with 67.82% sensitivity and 77.73% specificity. Conclusions Plasma miR7 testing is a potential molecular marker with high sensitivity and specificity for the differential diagnosis of small hepatic nodules. In patients with very early-stage HCC lacking effective molecular markers (negative for both AFP and DCP), miR7 can serve as a novel and effective molecular marker to assist diagnosis.

Aim To investigate the protective effect of Jujing formula on retina of mice with dry age-related macular degeneration(AMD).Methods The mouse model of dry AMD was induced by intraperitoneal in-jection of sodium iodate,and the prognosis was given to the Jujing formula.Retinal thickness was detected by optical coherence tomography(OCT),the retinal morphological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,and the apoptosis of retinal cells was detected by in situ terminal transferase labeling(TUNEL)staining.Combination of tumor necrosis fac-tor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1 β)in eyeballs and serum,superoxide dis-mutase(SOD),glutathione(GSH)and malondialde-hyde(MDA)were evaluated to assess the protective effects of Jujing formula on retinal injury in mice with dry AMD.Results The results of OCT,HE and TUNEL staining showed that Jujing formula significant-ly improved the retinal injury induced by sodium iodate in mice with dry AMD,increased the retinal thickness(P＜0.05),reduced the apoptosis of retinal cells(P＜0.01),and increased the levels of GSH,IL-6 and SOD activity in eyeballs and serum(P＜0.01).The levels of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1β and MDA were reduced(P＜0.01).Conclusions Jujing formula has certain therapeutic effects on retinal injury in dry AMD,which may be related to inhibiting inflammatory response and enhancing antioxidant capacity.

AIM:To investigate the effects of Panax notoginseng compound formula(PN)on endometrial fibro-sis by regulating inflammatory reaction and intestinal flora(IF)in a rat model of intrauterine adhesion(IUA).METHODS:The rat IUA model was established by following the mechanical injury method.A total of 50 rats were randomly divided in-to sham group,model group,low-dose(210 mg/kg)PN group,medium-dose(420 mg/kg)PN group and high-dose(840 mg/kg)PN group.After 8 weeks of intragastric administration,the uterus was collected to observe morphological changes with naked eye.The degree of uterine tissue damage and fibrosis was evaluated through hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and Mas-son staining.The collagen type Ⅰ(Col Ⅰ)was detected by immunohistochemistry.The interleukin-6(IL-6)and IL-10 pro-tein expression was detected by Western blot.The levels of IL-6,IL-1β,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and vascular endothelial growth factor B(VEGFB)were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The IF diversity and population structure were observed by 16S amplicon.RESULTS:Compared with the sham group,the uteruses of rats in the model group showed:reduced elasticity,accompanied by congestion and edema;decreased number of glands and blood vessels,and thinned endometrium(P<0.01);increased collagen fibers and Col Ⅰ protein expression(P<0.01);sig-nificantly increased IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α and VEGFB levels in the uterine tissue(P<0.01);decreased IL-10 level(P<0.01);and reduced IF diversity(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the drug intervention groups exhibited:re-covered elasticity of the uterus and relieved congestion and edema;increased number of endometrial glands and blood ves-sels(P<0.05);decreased collagen fibers and Col Ⅰ protein expression(P<0.01);reduced IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α lev-els to varying degrees in the uterine tissue(P<0.05);elevated IL-10 level(P<0.01);and improved IF diversity(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The PN is able to significantly improve the endometrial tissue fibrosis in IUA rats.The under-lying mechanisms may be related to the inhibition of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α expression,up-regulation of IL-10,and im-provement of IF diversity.

Objective To investigate the clinical phenotypes and genotypes of children with congenital fibrinogen disorder(CFD).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 16 children with CFD.Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify all exons and flanking sequences of the FGA,FGB,and FGG genes,and sequencing was performed to analyze mutation characteristics.Results Among the 16 children,there were 9 boys(56%)and 7 girls(44%),with a median age of 4 years at the time of attending the hospital.Among these children,9(56%)attended the hospital due to bleeding events,and 7(44%)were diagnosed based on preoperative examination.The children with bleeding events had a significantly lower fibrinogen activity than those without bleeding events(P<0.05).Genetic testing was conducted on 12 children and revealed a total of 12 mutations,among which there were 4 novel mutations,i.e.,c.80T>C and c.1368delC in the FGA gene and c.1007T>A and C.1053C>A in the FGG gene.There were 2 cases of congenital afibrinogenemia caused by null mutations of the FGA gene,with relatively severe bleeding symptoms.There were 7 cases of congenital dysfibrinogenemia mainly caused by heterozygous missense mutations of the FGG and FGA genes,and their clinical phenotypes ranged from asymptomatic phenotype to varying degrees of bleeding.Conclusions The clinical phenotypes of children with CFD are heterogeneous,and the severity of bleeding is associated with the level of fibrinogen activity,but there is a weak association between clinical phenotype and genotype.

Objective To observe the value of three-dimensional(3D)ultrasound volumetric parameters of carotid atherosclerotic plaque for evaluating the risk of coronary heart disease(CHD)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods Totally 88 T2DM patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaque were prospectively enrolled and divided into CHD group(n=56)and non-CHD group(n=32)according to results of coronary artery angiography.Clinical data,two-dimensional(2D)and 3D ultrasonic findings of carotid atherosclerotic plaques were collected and compared between groups.The independent predictors of CHD in T2DM patients were screened with multivariate logistic regression.Then the receiver operating characteristic curves of 3D volumetric parameters of carotid atherosclerotic plaque were drawn,the areas under the curve(AUC)were calculated,and efficacy for predicting the risk of CHD in T2DM patients were evaluated and compared.Results Compared with patients in non-CHD group,T2DM patients in CHD group had longer diabetes duration,higher glycosylated hemoglobin and low density lipoprotein(LDL),as well as bigger carotid atherosclerotic plaque volume and lower grayscale median(GSM)(all P＜0.05).Along with diabetes duration and LDL,the volume and GSM of carotid atherosclerotic plaque were also the predictive factors for CHD in T2DM patients(all P＜0.05).AUC of volume and GSM of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and the combination of them was 0.864,0.828 and 0.927,respectively,and of the combination was higher than each alone(all P＜0.05).Conclusion The volume and GSM of carotid atherosclerotic plaque obtained with 3D ultrasound could indirectly reflect the risk of CHD in T2DM patients.Combination of these two parameters was more effective for predicting the risk of CHD.

Objective:To explore the application effect of simulation teaching of ultrasound in education of critical care nursing.Methods:From January to December 2023,a total of 40 nurses who received advanced training in Critical Care Medicine Department of China-Japan Friendship Hospital were selected,and they were divided into observation group(20 cases)and control group(20 cases)by random number table method.The observation group adopted simulation teaching method of ultrasound based on the platform of American patriot comprehensive ultrasound virtual training system,and the control group adopted conventional ultrasound teaching method.The theoretical course teaching,the examination results of practical operation and teaching satisfaction between the two groups were compared.Results:The operation assessment,homework after class and total score of assessment of observation group were respectively(27.9±1.91)points,(16.25±1.33)points and(77.75±4.12)points,which were significantly higher than those of control group,the differences were statistically significant(t=13.375,3.635,8.814,P<0.05),respectively.The average scores of lung ultrasound,assessment of gastric residual volume,assessment of skin pressure injury and arteriovenous puncture of examination achievements in observation group were respectively(5.30±1.21)points,(5.85±0.81)points,(5.10±0.91)points and(6.05±0.89)points,which were higher than those in control group,respectively,and the differences were statistically significant(t=5.792,5.264,5.832,5.620,P<0.05).The total scores of teaching arrangement,teaching effect,overall harvest and satisfaction of nurses in observation group were respectively(22.75±1.30)points,(23.90±1.02)points,(24.00±1.30)points and(93.05±3.66)points,which were significantly higher than those in control group,and the differences were statistically significant(t=6.564,8.860,6.694,7.441,P<0.05),respectively.Conclusion:Simulation teaching of ultrasound can significantly improve the operation ability of nurses who receive advanced training in the teaching of critical care nursing,as well as the mastery of teaching content and learning interest of them,which can enhance the quality of nursing clinical teaching and the satisfaction of teaching.

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models have been widely used to predict various stages of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. Models based on machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) can provide better ideas for the construction of PBPK models, which can accelerate the prediction speed and improve the prediction quality of PBPK. ML and AL can complement the advantages of PBPK model to accelerate the progress of drug research and development. This review introduces the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence in pharmacokinetics, summarizes the research progress of physiological pharmacokinetic models based on machine learning and artificial intelligence, and analyzes the limitations of machine learning and artificial intelligence applications and their application prospects and prospects.

Objective To improve the efficiency of induced differentiation of primitive neural epithelial cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells(hiPSCs-NECs)into functional midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells(DAPs).Methods HiPSCs were cultured in mTeSRTM medium containing DMH1(10 μmol/L),SB431542(10 μmol/L),SHH(200 ng/mL),FGF8(100 ng/mL),purmorphamine(2 μmol/L),CHIR99021(3 μmol/L),and N2(1%)for 12 days to induce their differentiation into primitive neuroepithelial cells(NECs).The hiPSCs-NECs were digested with collagenase IV and then cultured in neurobasal medium supplemented with 1%N2,2%B27-A,BDNF(10 ng/mL),GDNF(10 ng/mL),AA,TGF-β,cAMP,and 1%GlutaMax in the presence of different concentrations of Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632,and the culture medium was changed the next day to remove Y27632.Continuous induction was performed until day 28 to obtain DAPs.Results Human iPSCs expressed the pluripotency markers OCT4,SOX2,Nanog,and SSEA1 and were positive for alkaline phosphatase staining.The hiPSCs-NECs were obtained on day 13 in the form of neural rosettes expressing neuroepithelial markers SOX2,nestin,and PAX6.In digested hiPSCs-NECs,the addition of 5 μmol/L Y27632 significantly promoted survival of the adherent cells,increased cell viability and the proportion of S-phase cells(P<0.01),and reduced the rate of apoptotic cells(P<0.05).On day 28 of induction,the obtained cells highly expressed the specific markers of DAPS(TH,FOXA2,NURR1,and Tuj1).Conclusion Treatment with Y27632(5 μmol/L)for 24 h significantly promotes the survival of human iPSCs-NECs during their differentiation into DPAs without affecting the cell differentiation,which indirectly enhances the efficiency of cell differentiation.

Drug literacy is one of the important components of health literacy,and in recent years,the research on drug literacy has gradually deepened.The polypharmacy treatment and irrational drug use in the patients with HIV/AIDS has increased the burden of drug use,therefore improving the level of drug literacy is the key to maintain the medication efficacy,drug self-administered and safe medication.This paper summa-rized the definition,current status of assessment tools,influencing factors and interventional measures of drug literacy of HIV/AIDS patients in domestic and foreign research in order to provide reference for the develop-ment of assessment tools for drug literacy of HIV/AIDS patients,improve the level of drug literacy of pa-tients,and promote safe and rational use of drugs.

Objective To evaluates the impact of early application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES)on muscle strength,clinical outcomes,and long-term quality of life improvements in patients with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Methods A total of 75 patients diagnosed with SAP and ARDS admitted in Department of Critical Care Medicine of our hospital from September 2022 to August 2023 were recruited and then randomly divided into NMES group(n=37)and control group(n=38).After 16 patients were excluded,including 8 died during treatment,3 discharged and 5 received palliative care,there were finally 29 patients in the NMES group and 30 in the control group.Within 48 h after ICU admission,the NMES group received NMES 1 h per day,for 7 d in addition to standard rehabilitation intervention.While,the control group were given conventional interventions for rehabilitation.Assessments at baseline and post-treatment included the incidence of ICU-acquired weakness(ICU-AW),Medical Research Council(MRC)score,duration of mechanical ventilation,lengths of ICU and total hospital stays,and activity,thickness and thickening fraction of the diaphragm.Mortality rates and Barthel index(BI)for self-care ability in 1,3 and 6 months after discharge were recorded for follow-up assessments.Results The NMES group had significantly lower incidence of ICU-AW(P＜0.05),higher upper and lower limb MRC scores and overall MRC score at ICU discharge(P＜0.05),shorter durations of mechanical ventilation,ICU stay,and total hospital stay when compared with the control group(P＜0.05).There was no statistical difference in the BI at 1 month post-discharge between the 2 groups,but the indexes at 3 and 6 months were notably higher in the NMES group than the control group(P＜0.05).No obvious differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of diaphragm activity,thickness,or thickening scores at enrollment,ICU discharge,or hospital discharge,nor in mortality rates at 1,3,and 6 months after discharge.Conclusion Combined NMES and early rehabilitation therapy can improve muscle strength and reduce length of hospital stay in SAP patients complicated with ARDS,and may enhance long-term quality of life.However,it does not significantly affect diaphragm function or mortality rates.