Objective Objective To analyze the potential spatial factors affecting the genetic differentiation of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni in Yunnan Province. Methods A total of 13 administrative villages were selected from schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province as O. hupensis snail sampling sites. At least 200 snails were collected in each site, and the spatial variable data of each site were recorded, including longitude, latitude and altitude. Thirty active and Schistosoma japonicum uninfected O. hupensis snails were selected from each sampling site by means of the crawling method and the cercarial shedding method. Genomic DNA was extracted from O. hupensis snails. Following PCR amplification, purification of PCR amplification products and sequencing, the gene sequences of O. hupensis snail samples were spliced and edited using the DNAstar software and the NCBI database to yield the complete mitochondrial sequences of O. hupensis snails at each sampling site, and the mitochondrial genetic distance matrix of O. hupensis robertsoni was calculated at each sampling site. The geographical coordinates of each sampling site were marked using the software ArcGIS 10.2, and the straight-line geographical distance between each sampling site was calculated. The altitude difference, longitude difference and latitude difference between each sampling site were calculated using the Excel software, and the correlation between the mitochondrial genetic distance matrix of O. hupensis robertsoni and each spatial variable matrix was examined by using the Mantel test at 13 sampling sites in Yunnan Province. Results Among the 13 O. hupensis snail sampling sites in Yunnan Province, the largest mitochondrial genetic distance of O. hupensis robertsoni snail populations was seen between Anding Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Caizhuang Village, Midu County (26.244 2), and the largest geographical distance was seen between Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District and Cangling Village, Chuxiong County (272.64 km). The highest altitude difference was seen between Anding Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District (1 086.10 m), and the largest longitude difference was found between Qiandian Village, Eryuan County and Cangling Village, Chuxiong County (1.86°), while the largest latitude difference was measured between Leqiu Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District (1.81°). In addition, the mitochondrial genetic distance of O. hupensis robertsoni snail populations was positively correlated with altitude at 13 snail sampling sites in Yunnan Province (r = 0.542 8, P < 0.001), and showed no significant correlations with geographical distance (r = 0.093 4, P > 0.05), longitude (r = −0.199 5, P > 0.05) or latitude (r = 0.205 7, P > 0.05). Conclusion Altitude may be a potential spatial factor affecting the genetic differentiation of O. hupensis robertsoni in Yunnan Province.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of palliative care on drug use, medical service utilization and medical expenditure of patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: A cohort of patients including pal-liative care and standard care was constructed using the medical records of the patients in Peking University Cancer Hospital from 2018 to 2020, and coarsened exact matching was used to match the two groups of patients. The average monthly opioid consumption, hospitalization rate, intensive care unit (ICU) rate and operation rate, and the average monthly total cost were selected to evaluate drug use, medical service utilization and medical expenditure. Chi-square test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to compare the differences between the two groups before and after exposure and the change in the palliative care group. The net impact of palliative care on the patients was calculated using the difference-in-differences analysis. RESULTS: In this study, 180 patients in the palliative care group and 3 101 patients in the stan-dard care group were finally included in the matching, and the matching effect of the two groups was good (L₁ < 0.1). Before and after exposure, the average monthly opioid consumption in the palliative care group was significantly higher than that in the standard care group (Before exposure: 0.3 DDD/person-month vs. 0.1 DDD/person-month, P < 0.01; After exposure: 0.7 DDD/person-month vs. 0.1 DDD/person-month, P < 0.01; DDD refers to defined daily dose), palliative care significantly increased the average monthly opioid consumption in the patients (0.3 DDD/person-month, P < 0.01). The hospitalization rate (48.9% vs. 74.3%, P < 0.01) and operation rate (3.9% vs. 8.8%, P < 0.01) of the patients in palliative care group were significantly lower than those in standard care group, and the ICU rate became similar between the two groups (1.1% vs. 1.6%, P=0.634). Palliative care significantly reduced the patients ' hospitalization rate (-25.6%, P < 0.01), ICU rate (-4.9%, P < 0.01) and operation rate (-14.5%, P < 0.01). Before and after exposure, the average monthly total costs of pal-liative care group were slightly higher than those of standard care group (Before exposure: 20 092.3 yuan vs. 19 132.8 yuan, P=0.725; After exposure: 9 719.8 yuan vs. 8 818.8 yuan, P=0.165). Palliative care increased the average monthly total cost by 2 208.8 yuan, but it was not statistically significant (P=0.316). CONCLUSION Palliative care can increase the opioid consumption in advanced cancer patients, reduce the rates of hospitalization, ICU and surgery, but has no significant effect on medical expenditure.
Humans ; Palliative Care/economics* ; Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Analgesics, Opioid/economics* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Hospitalization/economics* ; Intensive Care Units/statistics & numerical data* ; Health Expenditures/statistics & numerical data* ; Adult ; Drug Utilization/statistics & numerical data* ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data*

Given that ovarian stimulation is vital for assisted reproductive technology (ART) and results in elevated serum estrogen levels, exploring the impact of elevated estrogen exposure on oocytes and embryos is necessary. We investigated the effects of various ovarian stimulation treatments on oocyte and embryo morphology and gene expression using a mouse model and estrogen-treated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Female C57BL/6J mice were subjected to two types of conventional ovarian stimulation and ovarian hyperstimulation; mice treated with only normal saline served as controls. Hyperstimulation resulted in high serum estrogen levels, enlarged ovaries, an increased number of aberrant oocytes, and decreased embryo formation. The messenger RNA (mRNA)‍-sequencing of oocytes revealed the dysregulated expression of lysine-specific demethylase 6b (Kdm6b), which may be a key factor indicating hyperstimulation-induced aberrant oocytes and embryos. In vitro, Kdm6b expression was downregulated in mESCs treated with high-dose estrogen; treatment with an estrogen receptor antagonist could reverse this downregulated expression level. Furthermore, treatment with high-dose estrogen resulted in the upregulated expression of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and phosphorylated H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX). Notably, knockdown of Kdm6b and high estrogen levels hindered the formation of embryoid bodies, with a concomitant increase in the expression of H3K27me3 and γ-H2AX. Collectively, our findings revealed that hyperstimulation-induced high-dose estrogen could impair the demethylation of H3K27me3 by reducing Kdm6b expression. Accordingly, Kdm6b could be a promising marker for clinically predicting ART outcomes in patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
Female ; Mice ; Demethylation/drug effects* ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Estrogens/administration & dosage* ; Gene Expression/drug effects* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oocytes ; Ovary/drug effects* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Animals

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate factors influencing dental arch development in patients aged 0-6 years with cleft palate after Sommerlad-Furlow (SF) palatoplasty. METHODS: A total of 183 patients who underwent primary SF repair for cleft lip and palate before 18 months of age were included. Follow-ups were conducted at different ages, and digital dental casts of the maxillary dental arch were obtained using 3-matic Research 12.0 software. The length and width of the dental arch and palate were measured to explore developmental changes in the maxillary dental arch of the patients after the procedure. The study also investigated the influence of gender, age, cleft palate type, and relaxation incision on maxillary dental arch development. RESULTS: After SF, maxillary dental arch measurements showed statistically significant differences between children aged 0-2 years and those aged 3-6 years (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were observed among different age groups within the 3-6 years range. Statistically significant differences were detected between males and females, with males having greater width of the posterior dental arch and palate (P=0.001) and shorter length of the anterior dental arch and entire dental arch (P<0.05). The unilateral cleft lip and palate group had shorter dental arch length (P<0.01) and wider posterior palate (P<0.01) than the cleft palate only group. Maxillary dental arch measurements had no statistically significant differences between groups with or without a relaxing incision. CONCLUSIONS Gender and age influence the width of the maxillary dental arch in children aged 0-6 years after SF, while age and cleft palate type affect dental arch length.
Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Male ; Cleft Palate/surgery* ; Female ; Child ; Infant ; Dental Arch/growth & development* ; Maxilla/growth & development* ; Cleft Lip/surgery* ; Age Factors ; Sex Factors ; Palate/surgery* ; Infant, Newborn

In recent years， the exploration and development of artificial intelligence （AI） technology in clinical trials for liver diseases have promoted the continuous innovation of research methods and processes in this field. AI has gradually become an important technical tool for various links of clinical trial including patient selection， risk stratification， endpoint evaluation， and result interpretation. Nevertheless， the standardized integration of AI into clinical trials still faces the methodological challenges such as data quality control， model interpretability， and causal inference. From the perspective of methodology， this article systematically reviews the principal application scenarios of AI as an object under investigation （validation trials） and as a research tool （supportive trials） in clinical trials for liver diseases， as well as the major methodological challenges of AI-related clinical trials along and the corresponding solution strategies， in order to provide methodological guidance for promoting the scientific and standardized implementation of AI technologies.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the peak wideband acoustic immittance(WAI)values reflecting the tympanic membrane absorption characteristics during the measurement process in patients with congenital middle ear malformation.METHODS We selected 36 patients diagnosed with congenital middle ear malformation by CT as subjects and evaluated their tympanic membrane absorption characteristics by measuring their acoustic impedance peak pressure.Then,we divided these data into two groups based on the pathological malformation obseved during the surgical process,namely the auditory ossicular chain soft connection group and the auditory ossicular chain fixation group.Calculate the absorption rate values of the tympanic membrane at each frequency corresponding to the peak pressure value of the tympanogram,and the relative area of absorption rate.By conducting independent t-tests,we compared two groups-normal children and patients who had undergone ossicular chain fixation surgery-to analyze the absorption area and peak absorption rate of their tympanic peak pressure values.RESULTS Under peak pressure,there were significant differences(P<0.001)in the full frequency range tympanic membrane absorption rate and peak absorption rate between the group with fixed ossicular chain and the normal group.However,there was no difference in the full frequency range tympanic membrane absorption rate and peak absorption rate between the group with soft ossicular chain and the normal group.Under peak pressure,the absorption area of the ossicular chain fixation group was significantly lower than that of the normal group in the low frequency range of 226-1 000 Hz(P<0.001),while the absorption area of the ossicular chain soft connection group was significantly higher than that of the normal group in the low frequency range of 226-1 000 Hz(P<0.001).CONCLUSION When conducting broadband acoustic impedance test,there is a significant difference in the relative area of tympanic membrane absorption rate of acoustic impedance peak pressure between the auditory ossicular chain soft connection group and the auditory ossicular chain fixation group across 226-1 000 Hz.It has application value as a clinical rapid screening and diagnostic tool for middle ear malformations.

Childhood primary renal tubular diseases are chronic kidney diseases characterized by impaired renal tubular reabsorption. Primary renal tubular disease has diverse clinical manifestations and lacks of specificity. Laboratory tests are limited，making it prone to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Based on the current knowledge of renal tubular diseases，authors propose early warning signals of renal tubular diseases such as family history of primary tubular diseases，unexplained polyhydramnios during pregnancy，polydipsia，polyuria，delayed growth and development or rickets，decreased muscle strength and tone，unexplained electrolyte disturbance，hyperuricemia，acid-base disturbance，positive urine sugar test，renal tubular proteinuria，urinary imaging examination suggesting kidney stones，calcium deposition，renal cysts and early onset of eye，ear，joint and neuron injury.Meanwhile，some universal management strategies for primary renal tubular disease are proposed，emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration，genetic testing and individualized intervention to improve the long-term prognosis of childhood primary renal tubular diseases.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum homeodomain interacting protein ki-nase 2(HIPK2),annexin A5(ANXA5)and coronary stenosis and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods A total of 277 AMI patients who received interventional treatment in this hospi-tal from January 2021 to July 2023 were selected as the AMI group,and another 140 cases with normal or very mild stenosis in coronary angiography during the same period were selected as the control group.According to the degree of coronary artery stenosis(Gensini score),the AMI patients were divided into mild coronary arter-y stenosis group(86 cases),moderate coronary artery disease group(111 cases)and severe coronary artery disease group(80 cases).According to the prognosis,they were divided into poor prognosis group(80 cases)and good prognosis group(197 cases).Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the serum HIPK2 and ANXA5 levels.Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between serum HIPK2 and ANXA5 levels and Gensini score in patients with AMI.Multivariate unconditional Logistic regres-sion was used to determine the relationship between serum HIPK2 and ANXA5 levels and prognosis of AMI patients.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the predictive efficiency of serum HIPK2 and ANXA5 levels on prognosis of AMI patients.Results Compared with the control group,the ser-um HIPK2 level in the AMI group increased and the ANXA5 level decreased,and the differences were statisti-cally significant(P＜0.05).The serum HIPK2 levels in the mild coronary artery stenosis group,moderate coronary artery stenosis group and severe coronary artery stenosis group increased successively,while the ANXA5 levels decreased successively,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Gensini score was positively correlated with serum HIPK2 level and negatively correlated with serum ANXA5 level in AMI patients(P＜0.05).The Gensini score of AMI patients was positively correlated with the serum HIPK2 level(r=0.785,P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with the serum ANXA5 level(r=-0.798,P＜0.05).Compared with the good prognosis group,the serum HIPK2 level in the poor prognosis group increased(P＜0.05),and the ANXA5 level decreased(P＜0.05).After adjusting for confounding factors,high HIPK2 was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in AMI patients(P＜0.05),and high ANXA5 was an independ-ent protective factor(P＜0.05).The area under the curve of the combined prediction of serum HIPK2 and ANXA5 levels for the prognosis of AMI patients was 0.875,which was greater than 0.778 and 0.784 predic-ted by serum HIPK2 and ANXA5 levels alone(P＜0.05).Conclusion The serum HIPK2 level is increased and the ANXA5 level is decreased in patients with AMI,which is related to the aggravation of coronary steno-sis and the poor prognosis.The combination of serum HIPK2 and ANXA5 levels is more effective in predic-ting the prognosis of patients with AMI.

Objective To explore the value of low contrast dose and low flow rate one-stop craniocervical CT angiography(CT A)-cerebral CT perfusion(CTP)for detecting carotid atherosclerosis(CAS).Methods Totally 117 CAS patients were prospectively enrolled and divided into group A(n=19),B(n=52),C(n=46),and low contrast dose and low flow rate one-stop craniocervical CTA-brain CTP scanning,low contrast dose and low flow rate craniocervical CT A scanning,as well as conventional craniocervical CT A scanning were performed,respectively.Virtual monoenergetic images(VMI)of 40,50 and 60 keV were reconstructed in group A and B.The subjective and objective evaluations of image quality were compared among 3 groups.Results Subjective scores of image quality and diagnostic confidence of 40 and 50 keV VMI,and the diagnostic confidence of 60 keV VMI in group A and B were not significant different compared with those in group C(all P＞0.05).Signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)of each segment of craniocervical blood vessels at 40 and 50 keV VMI in group A and B were all higher than those in group C(all P＜0.05).CNR of cavernous sinus segment of internal carotid artery(C5 segment),horizontal segment of middle cerebral artery(MCA)(A1 segment),lateral sulcus segment of MCA(M2 segment)and basilar artery(BA)segment in group A at 60 keV VMI were all higher than those in group C(all P＜0.05).SNR of C5 segment,A1 segment and BA segment,as well as CNR of BA segment of 60 keV VMI in group B were all higher than those in group C(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Low contrast dose and low flow rate one-stop craniocervical was feasible for detecting CAS.