OBJECTIVES: To fabricate an injectable composite microsphere hydrogel reinforced with silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid microspheres, achieving synergistic enhance-ment of mechanical robustness and biofunctionality. METHODS: Methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HAMA) and thiolated silk fibroin (TSF) were synthesized. Monodisperse microspheres generated via microfluidics were UV-cured (420 nm) through thiol-ene click reaction. These microspheres were embedded in a TSF/HAMA matrix to form photo-cured composites. The grafting rate of TSF and HAMA was characterized by H1-NMR; particle size distribution of microsphere hydrogels in soybean oil was observed by optical microscopy; gel point of composite microsphere hydrogels was determined by advanced extensional rheometer; microscopic morphology of microsphere hydrogels was observed by scanning electron microscopy; elemental distribution of microsphere hydrogels was detected by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy; tunability of composite microsphere hydrogels was observed by inverted confocal microscopy; mechanical properties of composite microsphere hydrogels were tested by compression testing; swelling ratio, degradation rate and water retention rate of composite microsphere hydrogels were measured by gravimetric method. Cytotoxicity of the composite microsphere hydrogels was determined by Calcein-AM/propidium iodide dual staining and CCK-8 assay; cell migration capability was observed by scratch assay. RESULTS: The grafting rates of HAMA and TSF was 48.03% and 17.99%, respectively. Microsphere hydrogels with particle sizes of (43.3±1.2), (78.1±3.0), and (130.8±1.9) μm were prepared. The gel time of the composite microsphere hydrogels was 48-115s. The laser confocal imaging confirmed dynamic regulation characteristics of the composite microsphere hydrogels. The compressive strength of the composite microsphere hydrogels reached 22.7 kPa and maintained structural integrity at 40% strain after 20 compression cycles. The composite microsphere hydrogels exhibited differential deswelling behaviors in simulated physiological environments, and reducing microsphere particle size could significantly enhance its stability under moist conditions. The degradation rate of the composite microsphere hydrogels was (49.1±0.9)% after 200 h, and water retention rate was maintained at 40%-60% after 96 h. Biocompatibility assays confirmed >95% cell viability and unimpaired cell migration abilities. CONCLUSIONS The TSF/HAMA composite microsphere hydrogel developed in this study has characteristics of rapid fabrication, adjustable mechanical properties, enhanced environmental stability and excellent biocom-patibility, thus providing a new material solution for tissue repair and regenerative medicine.
Fibroins/chemistry* ; Hydrogels/chemistry* ; Microspheres ; Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry* ; Humans

Objective:To investigate the reliability and accuracy of a semi-quantitative evaluation method for assessing the severity of pharyngeal delay by fiberoptic laryngoscopy.Method:Fifty-seven fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing(FEES)videos and the corresponding 57 video fluoroscopic swallowing study(VFSS)videos were reviewed and analyzed independently by two investi-gators.The semiquantitative evaluation method of pharyngeal delay in the expert consensus on assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders in China(2017 version)was used to rate fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing videos.The pharyngeal delay time(PDT)was calculated by the corresponding video fluoroscop-ic swallowing study videos.The intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)was used as an indicator to verify the consistency of the retention position of the bolus on set of swallowing in VFSS and FEES.The Kruskal-Wal-lis H test was used to compare the difference in PDT between the different classes.Spearman's rank correla-tion analysis was used to test the correlation between the retention position of bolus on set of swallowing and aspiration under VFSS and FEES.The correlation was statistically significant at P<0.05.Result:The consistency index ICC for determining retention position of bolus on set of swallowing in VFSS and FEES was 0.707(P<0.001)indicating moderate agreement.Therefore,the PDT measured by VFSS corre-sponding to different grades of pharyngeal delay in FEES could be compared between groups.The results showed that:between normal and mild groups(P=0.003),between normal and moderate groups(P<0.0001),and between the normal and severe groups(P<0.0001).However,there were no significant differences be-tween the mild and moderate groups(P=1.000),the mild and severe groups(P=0.141),and the moderate and severe groups(P=1.000).The correlation between retention position of bolus on set of swallowing and as-piration was not significant(P=0.642 under VFSS and P=0.920 under FEES).Conclusion:The semi-quantitative evaluation scale of pharyngeal delay under FEES has limited ability to re-flect the severity of swallowing delay,and the degree of differentiation between grades is low,only distin-guishing the normal group from the abnormal group.Thus,it is recommended that this evaluation scale be ad-justed to three levels:normal level:the head of the bolus reaches the root of the tongue and swallowing is initiated;abnormal level:the bolus reaches a site below the tongue base and lingers for a certain period of time before swallowing is initiated.No swallowing level:the bolus lingered anywhere below the tongue base and no swallowing initiation was observed.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of the regimen based on sacubitril/valsartan and empagliflozin in the treatment of elderly hypertension patients with type 2 diabetes(T2DM)and determine the impact on left ventricular remodeling.Methods A prospective randomized trial was conducted on 100 elderly patients with essential hypertension combined with T2DM admitted in our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023.All of them had left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH).They were randomly divided into an observation group(n=50,empagliflozin combined with sacubitril/valsartan)and a control group(n=50,empagliflozin combined with valsartan).Baseline data,and SBP,DBP,left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular mass(LVM),interventricular septal thickness(IVST),left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWT),and LVM index(LVMI)before and at 3 and 6 months after treatment were recorded and compared between the two groups.The incidence of adverse events was also compared between them.Results Repeated measures ANOVA showed that the values of SBP,DBP,IVST,LVPWT,LVM and LVMI were gradually reduced in the two groups with the extension of treatment time,and reached the lowest levels at 6 months of treatment(Ftime=4.829,10.037,121.202,65.784,214.796,162.801,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).With the elapse of treatment time,the observation group obtained more significant declines in terms of SBP,DBP,IVST,LVPWT,LVM and LVMI(Ftreatment×time=5.252,5.685,4.574,6.239,8.292,11.660,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The inter-group effect was statistically significant.After 6 months of treatment,the values of above indicators were notably lower in the observation group than the control group(Ftreatment=79.151,97.673,4.250,8.080,9.598,20.091,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).SBP(129.80±7.67 mm Hg vs 138.48±12.35 mm Hg.P＜0.01),DBP(79.76±5.96 mm Hg vs 87.46±9.57 mm Hg,P＜0.01),IVST,LVPWT,LVM and LVMI were obviously lower in the observation group than the control group.Both valsartan+empagliflozin and sacubitril/valsartan+empagliflozin showed good safety.Conclusion Sacubitril/valsartan can effectively improve blood pressure,cardiac function,and left ventricular remodeling in elderly hypertensive patients with T2DM and LVH,with good safety.

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Congenital toxoplasmosis is a common form of intrauterine infection and is associated with severe neurological sequelae such as cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment. This report presented the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of a fetal intracranial toxoplasmosis case, including bilateral ventriculomegaly, multiple intracranial cystic lesions, and parenchymal calcifications, without concurrent retinal abnormalities or hepatosplenomegaly. Post-termination analyses confirmed the presence of T.gondii DNA in amniotic fluid and umbilical venous blood, with histopathology revealing necrosis and eosinophilic infiltration. MRI demonstrates superior soft-tissue resolution in evaluating the extent of cerebral lesions and parenchymal damage, underscoring its diagnostic value in fetal toxoplasmic encephalopathy.

Prescription optimization is a crucial aspect in the study of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） compounds. In recent years， the introduction of mathematical methods， data mining techniques， and artificial neural networks has provided new tools for elucidating the compatibility rules of TCM compounds. The study of TCM compounds involves numerous variables， including the proportions of different herbs， the specific extraction parts of each ingredient， and the interactions among multiple components. These factors together create a complex nonlinear dose-effect relationship. In this context， it is essential to identify methods that suit the characteristics of TCM compounds and can leverage their advantages for effective application in new drug development. This paper provided a comprehensive review of the cutting-edge optimization experimental design methods applied in recent studies of TCM compound compatibilities. The key technical issues， such as the optimization of source material selection， dosage optimization of compatible herbs， and multi-objective optimization indicators， were discussed. Furthermore， the evaluation methods for component effects were summarized during the optimization process， so as to provide scientific and practical foundations for innovative research in TCM and the development of new drugs based on TCM compounds.

Objective To explore the methods of continuing education for advanced endoscope operations by diges-tive specialists through the establishment and teaching effect evaluation of the ERCP(endoscope retrograde cholan-giopancreatography)introductory training mode.Methods A total of 26 trainees from 3 sessions of the ERCP intro-ductory training courses at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2023 to September 2024 were in-cluded.The teaching effects of the training courses and its 5 modules were subjectively and objectively evaluated by questionnaires,on-site tests and evaluations by senior ERCP operators.Results Through the ERCP introductory training courses,the trainees'self-evaluated proficiency in duodenoscope structure(pre-training:2.4±2.4,post-training:8.2±1.5,P＜0.001),duodenoscope operation(pre-training:1.2±2.2,post-training:6.6±1.8,P＜0.001),papillary cannulation(pre-training:0.5±1.3,post-training:5.4±1.8,P＜0.001),intra-bile duct operation(pre-training:0.2±0.6,post-training:4.9±2.1,P＜0.001),and identification of intra-bile duct lesions(pre-training:1.7±2.1,post-training:6.0±2.0,P＜0.001)was significantly improved.The accuracy rate of the trainees'theoretical tests and picture recognition before training was 37.2％and then increased up to 62.8％after training.Before training,all trainees were considered by senior operators as not ready to start ERCP training on real patients,while after training,69.2％(18/26)of the trainees were considered ready to start ERCP training on real patients.Conclusions The multi-module ERCP introductory training courses have a significant effect in terms of laying a foundation for trainees to start ERCP training on patients and of providing a reference for the con-tinuing education mode of advanced endoscope operations for digestive specialists in China.

Objective:To analyze the real-world practices of resecting sessile colorectal polyps of varying long diameters using cold forcep polypectomy (CFP), cold snare polypectomy (CSP), or endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).Methods:A total of 12 290 nonpedunculated colorectal polyps of long diameter ≤19 mm (from 10 295 patients) were retrospectively enrolled from January 2022 to December 2023. Polypectomy was conducted by 30 endoscopists. The polyps were categorized into three groups based on long diameter: 1-5 mm, >5-10 mm and >10-19 mm, and the differences of polypectomy methods were compared in three groups. The usage of hemostatic clips in CSP among >5-10 mm polyps and the changes in resection methods between 2022 and 2023 were analyzed.Results:CFP (6 769 polyps, 81.7%) was the predominant method for resecting 1-5 mm sessile polyps (8 289 polyps). For sessile polyps sized >5-10 mm (2 455 polyps), CSP was used most (1 372, 55.9%), although its utilization varied significantly among physicians with the median usage rate of 52.9% (40.3%, 60.0%). EMR (1 349 poolyps, 87.3%) was the main method for >10-19 mm sessile polyps. The usage rate of CSP in sessile polypectomy for polyps >5-10 mm significantly increased from 45.7% (503/1 101) in 2022 to 64.2% (869/1 354) in 2023. The overall frequency of using clip in CSP for >5-10 mm sessile polyps was 40.1% (550/1 372), demonstrating notable variability among different endoscopists with median usage rate of 48.3% (29.8%, 67.9%).Conclusion:Varied resection methods are observed among endoscopists for sessile polyps measuring ≤19 mm. CFP is primarily utilized for polyps of 1-5 mm, while CSP is favored for polyps >5-10 mm, with an increasing annual usage rate. EMR is the main approach for the polyps >10-19 mm. Additionally, notable variations in the use of metal clips during CSP are observed among different physicians.

Objective:To investigate the reliability and accuracy of a semi-quantitative evaluation method for assessing the severity of pharyngeal delay by fiberoptic laryngoscopy.Method:Fifty-seven fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing(FEES)videos and the corresponding 57 video fluoroscopic swallowing study(VFSS)videos were reviewed and analyzed independently by two investi-gators.The semiquantitative evaluation method of pharyngeal delay in the expert consensus on assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders in China(2017 version)was used to rate fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing videos.The pharyngeal delay time(PDT)was calculated by the corresponding video fluoroscop-ic swallowing study videos.The intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)was used as an indicator to verify the consistency of the retention position of the bolus on set of swallowing in VFSS and FEES.The Kruskal-Wal-lis H test was used to compare the difference in PDT between the different classes.Spearman's rank correla-tion analysis was used to test the correlation between the retention position of bolus on set of swallowing and aspiration under VFSS and FEES.The correlation was statistically significant at P<0.05.Result:The consistency index ICC for determining retention position of bolus on set of swallowing in VFSS and FEES was 0.707(P<0.001)indicating moderate agreement.Therefore,the PDT measured by VFSS corre-sponding to different grades of pharyngeal delay in FEES could be compared between groups.The results showed that:between normal and mild groups(P=0.003),between normal and moderate groups(P<0.0001),and between the normal and severe groups(P<0.0001).However,there were no significant differences be-tween the mild and moderate groups(P=1.000),the mild and severe groups(P=0.141),and the moderate and severe groups(P=1.000).The correlation between retention position of bolus on set of swallowing and as-piration was not significant(P=0.642 under VFSS and P=0.920 under FEES).Conclusion:The semi-quantitative evaluation scale of pharyngeal delay under FEES has limited ability to re-flect the severity of swallowing delay,and the degree of differentiation between grades is low,only distin-guishing the normal group from the abnormal group.Thus,it is recommended that this evaluation scale be ad-justed to three levels:normal level:the head of the bolus reaches the root of the tongue and swallowing is initiated;abnormal level:the bolus reaches a site below the tongue base and lingers for a certain period of time before swallowing is initiated.No swallowing level:the bolus lingered anywhere below the tongue base and no swallowing initiation was observed.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of the regimen based on sacubitril/valsartan and empagliflozin in the treatment of elderly hypertension patients with type 2 diabetes(T2DM)and determine the impact on left ventricular remodeling.Methods A prospective randomized trial was conducted on 100 elderly patients with essential hypertension combined with T2DM admitted in our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023.All of them had left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH).They were randomly divided into an observation group(n=50,empagliflozin combined with sacubitril/valsartan)and a control group(n=50,empagliflozin combined with valsartan).Baseline data,and SBP,DBP,left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular mass(LVM),interventricular septal thickness(IVST),left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWT),and LVM index(LVMI)before and at 3 and 6 months after treatment were recorded and compared between the two groups.The incidence of adverse events was also compared between them.Results Repeated measures ANOVA showed that the values of SBP,DBP,IVST,LVPWT,LVM and LVMI were gradually reduced in the two groups with the extension of treatment time,and reached the lowest levels at 6 months of treatment(Ftime=4.829,10.037,121.202,65.784,214.796,162.801,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).With the elapse of treatment time,the observation group obtained more significant declines in terms of SBP,DBP,IVST,LVPWT,LVM and LVMI(Ftreatment×time=5.252,5.685,4.574,6.239,8.292,11.660,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The inter-group effect was statistically significant.After 6 months of treatment,the values of above indicators were notably lower in the observation group than the control group(Ftreatment=79.151,97.673,4.250,8.080,9.598,20.091,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).SBP(129.80±7.67 mm Hg vs 138.48±12.35 mm Hg.P＜0.01),DBP(79.76±5.96 mm Hg vs 87.46±9.57 mm Hg,P＜0.01),IVST,LVPWT,LVM and LVMI were obviously lower in the observation group than the control group.Both valsartan+empagliflozin and sacubitril/valsartan+empagliflozin showed good safety.Conclusion Sacubitril/valsartan can effectively improve blood pressure,cardiac function,and left ventricular remodeling in elderly hypertensive patients with T2DM and LVH,with good safety.

Objective:To analyze the real-world practices of resecting sessile colorectal polyps of varying long diameters using cold forcep polypectomy (CFP), cold snare polypectomy (CSP), or endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).Methods:A total of 12 290 nonpedunculated colorectal polyps of long diameter ≤19 mm (from 10 295 patients) were retrospectively enrolled from January 2022 to December 2023. Polypectomy was conducted by 30 endoscopists. The polyps were categorized into three groups based on long diameter: 1-5 mm, >5-10 mm and >10-19 mm, and the differences of polypectomy methods were compared in three groups. The usage of hemostatic clips in CSP among >5-10 mm polyps and the changes in resection methods between 2022 and 2023 were analyzed.Results:CFP (6 769 polyps, 81.7%) was the predominant method for resecting 1-5 mm sessile polyps (8 289 polyps). For sessile polyps sized >5-10 mm (2 455 polyps), CSP was used most (1 372, 55.9%), although its utilization varied significantly among physicians with the median usage rate of 52.9% (40.3%, 60.0%). EMR (1 349 poolyps, 87.3%) was the main method for >10-19 mm sessile polyps. The usage rate of CSP in sessile polypectomy for polyps >5-10 mm significantly increased from 45.7% (503/1 101) in 2022 to 64.2% (869/1 354) in 2023. The overall frequency of using clip in CSP for >5-10 mm sessile polyps was 40.1% (550/1 372), demonstrating notable variability among different endoscopists with median usage rate of 48.3% (29.8%, 67.9%).Conclusion:Varied resection methods are observed among endoscopists for sessile polyps measuring ≤19 mm. CFP is primarily utilized for polyps of 1-5 mm, while CSP is favored for polyps >5-10 mm, with an increasing annual usage rate. EMR is the main approach for the polyps >10-19 mm. Additionally, notable variations in the use of metal clips during CSP are observed among different physicians.