The orientation of the acetabular cup in hip joint anteroposterior radiograph is a key factor in evaluating the postoperative outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA). Currently, measurement of the acetabular cup anteversion angle primarily relies on manual drawing of auxiliary lines by orthopedic surgeons and calculations using scientific calculators. This study proposes an automated computer-aided measurement method for the acetabular cup anteversion angle based on hip joint anteroposterior radiograph. The proposed method segments hip prosthesis images using an improved Otsu algorithm, identifies feature points at the acetabular cup opening by combining circle-fitting theory and the cup's geometric characteristics, and fits an ellipse to the cup opening to calculate the anteversion angle. A total of 104 hip joint anteroposterior radiographs, including 71 right-sided and 81 left-sided prostheses, were analyzed. Two orthopedic surgeons independently measured the postoperative anteversion angles, and the results were compared with computer-generated measurements for correlation analysis. Spearman and Pearson correlation analyses demonstrated significant correlations between the proposed method and manual measurements for both the right group ( r = 0.795, P < 0.01) and the left group ( r = 0.859, P < 0.01). This method provides a reliable reference for orthopedic surgeons to assess postoperative prognosis.
Humans ; Acetabulum/anatomy & histology* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/methods* ; Algorithms ; Hip Prosthesis ; Hip Joint/diagnostic imaging* ; Radiography ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods*

OBJECTIVES: To create a mixed valvular heart disease (MVHD)-related age-adjusted comorbidity index (MVACI) model for predicting mortality risk of patients with MVHD. METHODS: A total of 4080 patients with moderate or severe MVHD in the China-VHD study were included. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality. A MVACI model prediction model was constructed based on the mortality risk factors identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Restricted cubic splines were used to assess the relationship between MVACI scores and 2-year all-cause mortality. The optimal threshold, determined by the maximum Youden index from receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, was used to stratify patients. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate 2-year all-cause mortality and compared using the Log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), evaluating the association between MVACI scores and mortality. Paired ROC curves were used to compare the discriminative ability of MVACI scores with the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation Ⅱ(EuroSCORE Ⅱ) or the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) in predicting 2-year clinical outcomes, while calibration curves assessed the calibration of these models. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on etiology, treatment strategies, and disease severity. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis identified the following variables independently associated with 2-year all-cause mortality in patients: pulmonary hypertension, myocardiopathy, heart failure, low body weight (body mass index <18.5 kg/m²), anaemia, hypoalbuminemia, renal insufficiency, cancer, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and age. The score was independently associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, and exhibited good discrimination (AUC=0.777, 95%CI: 0.755-0.799) and calibration (Brier score 0.062), with significantly better predictive performance than EuroSCORE Ⅱ or ACCI (both adjusted P<0.01). The internal validation showed that the MVACI model's predicted probability of 2-year all-cause mortality was generally consistent with the actual probability. The AUCs for predicting all-cause mortality risk were all above 0.750, and those for predicting adverse events were all above 0.630. The prognostic value of the score remained consistent in patients regardless of their etiology, therapeutic option, and disease severity. CONCLUSIONS The MVACI was constructed in this study based on age and comorbidities, and can be used for mortality risk prediction and risk stratification of MVHD patients. It is a simple algorithmic index and easy to use.
Humans ; Prognosis ; Comorbidity ; Heart Valve Diseases/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Age Factors ; Risk Assessment ; Adult ; ROC Curve

The interaction between m⁶A-methylated RNA and chromatin modification remains largely unknown. We found that targeted inhibition of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) by siRNA or its inhibitor (JQ1) significantly decreases mRNA m⁶A levels and suppresses the malignancy of breast cancer (BC) cells via increased expression of demethylase AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5). Mechanistically, inhibition of BRD4 increases the mRNA stability of ALKBH5 via enhanced binding between its 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) with RNA-binding protein RALY. Further, BRD4 serves as a scaffold for ubiquitin enzymes tripartite motif containing-21 (TRIM21) and ALKBH5, resulting in the ubiquitination and degradation of ALKBH5 protein. JQ1-increased ALKBH5 then demethylates mRNA of extra spindle pole bodies like 1 (ESPL1) and reduces binding between ESPL1 mRNA and m⁶A reader insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3), leading to decay of ESPL1 mRNA. Animal and clinical studies confirm a critical role of BRD4/ALKBH5/ESPL1 pathway in BC progression. Further, our study sheds light on the crosstalks between histone modification and RNA methylation.

Notum, a negative feedback regulator of the Wnt signaling, has emerged as a promising target for treating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). This study showcases an efficient strategy for discovering the anti-Notum constituents from herbal medicines (HMs) as novel anti-GIOP agents. Firstly, a rapid-responding near-infrared fluorogenic substrate for Notum was rationally engineered for high-throughput identifying the anti-Notum HMs. The results showed that Bu-Gu-Zhi (BGZ), a known anti-osteoporosis herb, potently inhibited Notum in a competitive-inhibition manner. To uncover the key anti-Notum constituents in BGZ, an efficient strategy was adapted via integrating biochemical, phytochemical, computational, and pharmacological assays. Among all identified BGZ constituents, three furanocoumarins were validated as strong Notum inhibitors, while 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MP) showed the most potent anti-Notum activity and favorable safety profiles. Mechanistically, 5-MP acted as a competitive inhibitor of Notum via creating strong hydrophobic interactions with Trp128 and Phe268 in the catalytic cavity of Notum. Cellular assays showed that 5-MP remarkably promoted osteoblast differentiation and activated Wnt signaling in dexamethasone (DXMS)-challenged MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. In dexamethasone-induced osteoporotic mice, 5-MP strongly elevated bone mineral density (BMD) and improved cancellous and cortical bone thickness. Collectively, this study constructs a high-efficient platform for discovering key anti-Notum constituents from HMs, while 5-MP emerges as a promising anti-GIOP agent.

Human carboxylesterase 2A (hCES2A) plays pivotal roles in prodrug activation and hydrolytic metabolism of ester-bearing chemicals. Targeted inhibition of intestinal hCES2A represents a feasible strategy to mitigate irinotecan-triggered gut toxicity (ITGT), but the orally active, selective, and efficacious hCES2A inhibitors are rarely reported. Here, a novel drug-like hCES2A inhibitor was developed via three rounds of structure-based drug design (SBDD) and structural optimization. Initially, donepezil was identified as a moderate hCES2A inhibitor from 2000 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs. Following two rounds of SBDD and structural optimization, a donepezil derivative (B7) was identified as a strong reversible hCES2A inhibitor. Subsequently, nine B7 carbamates were rationally designed, synthesized and biologically assayed. Among all synthesized carbamates, C3 showed the most potent time-dependent inhibition on hCES2A (IC₅₀ = 0.56 nmol/L), excellent specificity and favorable drug-like properties. C3 could covalently modify the catalytic serine of hCES2A with high selectivity, while this agent also showed favorable safety profiles, high intestinal exposure, and impressive effects for ameliorating ITGT in both human intestinal organoids and tumor-bearing mice. Collectively, this study showcases a rational strategy for developing drug-like and serine-targeting covalent inhibitors against target serine hydrolase(s), while C3 emerges as a promising orally active drug candidate for ameliorating ITGT.

BACKGROUND: Valvular heart disease (VHD) has become increasingly common with the aging in China. This study aimed to evaluate regional differences in the clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes of patients with VHD across different regions in China. METHODS: Data were collected from the China-VHD Study. From April 2018 to June 2018, 12,347 patients who presented with moderate or severe native VHD with a median of 2 years of follow-up from 46 centers at certified tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in Chinese mainland were included in this study. According to the locations of the research centers, patients were divided into five regional groups: eastern, southern, western, northern, and central China. The clinical features of VHD patients were compared among the five geographical regions. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence rate. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients (mean age, 61.96 years; 6877 [55.70%] male), multiple VHD was the most frequent type (4042, 32.74%), which was mainly found in eastern China, followed by isolated mitral regurgitation (3044, 24.65%), which was mainly found in northern China. The etiology of VHD varied significantly across different regions of China. The overall rate of valve interventions was 32.67% (4008/12,268), with the highest rate in southern China at 48.46% (205/423). In terms of procedure, the proportion of transcatheter valve intervention was relatively low compared to that of surgical treatment. Patients with VHD in western China had the highest incidence of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Valve intervention significantly improved the outcome of patients with VHD in all five regions (all P  <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that patients with VHD in China are characterized by significant geographic disparities in clinical features, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Targeted efforts are needed to improve the management and prognosis of patients with VHD in China according to differences in geographical characteristics. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03484806.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Heart Valve Diseases/therapy* ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Treatment Outcome

The health of women and children serves as the cornerstone of comprehensive public health and represents a crucial barometer for measuring social progress and civilization. It directly impacts family well-being and social harmony. As a national-level guidance center for complex disease diagnosis and treatment, Beijing's critical maternal care center, and the designated consultation hospital for pregnancy complicated by rheumatic immune and endocrine disorders, Peking Union Medical College Hospital bears significant responsibilities in managing complex medical cases and implementing counterpart assistance programs. Confronted with diverse and complicated maternal sources, particularly emergency cases lacking standardized prenatal care, the hospital has established a multi-tiered, whole-process, and comprehensive maternal-infant safety management system. Through implementing high-risk maternal management protocols, optimizing critical care procedures, promoting informatization development, and enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration, Peking Union Medical College Hospital has substantially improved the efficiency of critical maternal care and maternal-infant safety assurance. This paper systematically summarizes the institutional development experience in maternal management and explores potential optimization approaches, aiming to provide valuable references for enhancing maternal-infant safety management systems in domestic healthcare institutions.

Objective: To investigate the effects of C1q tumor necrosis factor⁃related protein 3 (CTRP3) ⁃enhanced Sendai virus (SeV) vector⁃overexpressing Gata4 , Mef2c , and Tbx5 (SeVGMT) in the treatment of myocardial in⁃farction (MI) mice and to analyze whether ubiquitin carboxyl⁃terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) mediates this thera⁃peutic pathway. Methods: The mice were divided into 7 groups ( n = 12) : Sham group , MI group , SeVGMT group , CTRP3⁃Lv group , UCHL1 ⁃sh group , SeVGMT + CTRP3⁃Lv group , and SeVGMT + CTRP3⁃Lv + UCHL1 ⁃sh group. In the Sham group , only the skin was incised without ligation , while the coronary artery was ligated 2 - 3 mm below the left atrial appendage in mice in other groups. PBS was injected at three points in the myocardial infarction boundary in the Sham and MI groups 30 minutes after ligation. Mice in other groups were injected with SeVGMT , CTRP3-Lv , or UCHL1-sh according to their grouping. Four weeks after treatment , fractional shortening (FS) , ejection fraction (EF) , left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVIDd) , left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVIDs) , heart rate (HR) , mean arterial pressure (MAP) , serum creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) , myocardial troponin I ( cTnI) and lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH) levels , and myocardial tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α ) , interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in mice were detected. The pathological changes of myocardial tissue were detected by 2 , 3 , 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride ( TTC) , hematoxylin-eosin ( HE) , Masson trichrome and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The mRNA expressions of CTRP3 and UCHL1 were detected by qRT-PCR. The protein expressions of CTRP3 , UCHL1 , collagen Ⅰ , collagen Ⅲ , Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) in myocardial tissue were detected by Western blot or immunohistochemical staining. Results: Compared with SeVGMT group and CTRP3-Lv group , the levels of EF , FS , HR and MAP in SeVGMT + CTRP3-Lv group increased (P < 0. 05) . The levels of LVIDd , LVIDs , CK-MB , cTnI , LDH , TNF-α , IL-1β and IL-6 decreased (P < 0. 05) . MI area , fibrosis area and TUNEL positive rate decreased (P < 0. 05) , the protein levels collagen Ⅰ , collagen Ⅲ and Bax decreased (P < 0. 05) , and Bcl-2 protein levels increased (P < 0. 05) . The mRNA and protein levels and relative staining intensity of CTRP3 and UCHL1 increased (P < 0. 05) . Compared with SeVGMT + CTRP3-Lv group , the addition of UCHL1-sh treatment ( SeVGMT + CTRP3-Lv + UCHL1-sh group) significantly weakened the influence of SeVGMT + CTRP3-Lv on the above indexes (P < 0. 05) . Conclusion CTRP3 mediated UCHL1 enhances the therapeutic effect of SeVGMT reprogrammed CFs on MI in mice.

Objective To investigate the CT imaging manifestations of tumor-like proliferation of extramedullary hematopoiesis(EMH)in thalassemia(TM).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 41 patients with tumor-like proliferation of EMH in TM.The CT imaging features of the patients were analyzed,including the location,lesion morphology,density,and degree of enhancement of the lesions.Results Lesions of varying sizes were identified on both sides of the thoracic vertebrae in all 41 cases,including 20 cases with lesions in the inner edge of the ribs and 1 case within the spinal epidural space.A total of 23 abdominal scans and 2 lumbar scans,lesions were found in the sacral region in 18 cases,primarily in the presacral area and sacral wings.Lesions adjacent to the thoracic paravertebral and in the sacral region were quasi-circular,while those on the ribs were quasi-circular or flat and mound-shaped,closely adhering to the inner edge of the ribs.Intraspinal epidural lesions were characterized by a longitudinal orientation,positioned adjacent to the posterior part of the thoracic spinal canal.Most lesions showed homogeneous moderate density.Bone erosion was observed in 14 rib lesions and 7 sacral region lesions,resulting in heterogeneous slightly high density shadow of the lesions.Small nodular high density shadow were identified in 4 cases,and small amounts of fatty density shadow were observed in 4 cases.20 cases showed mild-to-moderate enhancement on enhanced scan,and 11 cases showed"vascular traversal sign"in thoracic paravertebral lesions.Conclusion The CT manifestations of tumor-like proliferation of EMH in TM are characteristic.The combination of typical CT manifestations and medical history facilitates an accurate diagnosis.Indicators such as fat replacement,iron deposition nodules,bone erosion,and"vascular traversal sign"are valuable in the diagnosis of tumor-like proliferation of EMH.

Objective To investigate the efficiency and mechanism of C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 3(CTRP3)on reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts(CFs)into induced cardiomyocyte-like cells(iCMs)by Sendai virus(SeV)vector overexpressing Gata4,Mef2c and Tbx5(SeVGMT).Methods CFs were divided into Control,NC-Lv,CTRP3-Lv,NC-sh,and CTRP3-sh groups.NC-Lv,CTRP3-Lv,NC-sh,and CTRP3-sh were transfected into CFs using Lipofectamine 3000 reagent for 48 hours.Lipofectamine 3000 reagent was then mixed with SeVGMT and incubated at room temperature for 48 hours,the culture medium was then replaced,and cells were cultured for 21 days.Cell morphology was observed under a microscope at 0,3,7,14,and 21 days.Expression levels of the myocardial-specific proteins α-myosin heavy chain(α-MHC),α-actin,cardiac troponin T(cTnT),connexin 43(Cx43),cardiac muscle α-actin(Actc1),and myosin heavy chain 6(Myh6)were detected at different time points by immunofluorescence,quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction,and Western blot,and the proportions of beating cells at different time points were calculated.Results The relative fluorescence intensity and mRNA and protein levels of α-MHC,α-actin,cTnT,Cx43,Actc1,and Myh6 in CFs in each group increased with increasing culture time(P＜0.05),with significantly higher expression levels of myocardial-specific proteins at 14 days of culture than at 7 days(P＜0.05).The relative fluorescence intensities and mRNA and protein levels of α-MHC,α-actin,cTnT,Cx43,Actc1,and Myh6 in CFs at 3,7,14,and 21 days of culture were significantly increased in the CTRP3-Lv group compared with the NC-Lv group(P＜0.05),but were significantly decreased in CFs in the CTRP3-sh group compared with the NC-sh group(P＜0.05).Beating cells appeared in CFs in each group at 7 days of culture.The proportion of beating cells in each group increased with increasing culture time(P＜0.05),and the proportion was significantly higher at 14 days than at 7 days(P＜0.05).The proportion of beating cells among CFs was increased in the CTRP3-Lv group at 7,14,and 21 days of culture compared with the NC-Lv group(P＜0.05),while the proportion of beating cells in the CTRP3-sh group was decreased compared with the NC-sh group(P＜0.05).Conclusions CTRP3 can enhance SeVGMT reprogramming of CFs into iCMs.