ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of sitravatinib on carbon tetrachloride （CCl₄）-induced liver fibrosis in mice. MethodsA total of 30 male C57BL/6J mice， aged 8 weeks， were randomly divided into control group， CCl₄ model group， and low- （5 mg/kg）， middle- （10 mg/kg）， and high-dose （20 mg/kg） sitravatinib groups. All mice except those in the control group were given intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄ for 4 consecutive weeks to induce liver fibrosis， and since the first day of modeling， the mice in the low-， middle-， and high-dose sitravatinib groups were given sitravatinib at the corresponding dose by gavage every day. The serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） were measured for the mice in each group； hepatic hydroxyproline content was measured； HE staining， Masson staining， and Sirius Red staining were used to observe liver histopathological changes； quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） and collagen type I alpha 1 （Col1a1） in liver tissue. The therapeutic effect of sitravatinib was assessed based on the above results. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group had significant increases in the levels of TC， TG， and ALT （all P<0.05）， and there were no significant differences in the levels of TC， TG， and ALT between the model group and the low-， middle-， and high-dose sitravatinib groups （all P>0.05）. Hepatic hydroxyproline content decreased after sitravatinib intervention， with a significant difference between the middle-/high-dose sitravatinib groups and the CCl₄ model group （both P<0.05）. Histopathological staining showed that the sitravatinib treatment groups had a reduction in collagen deposition， along with thinning and fragmentation of fibrous septa， and in the high-dose sitravatinib group， 4 mice had a fibrosis stage of S0—S1 and 2 mice had a fibrosis stage of S2—S3， suggesting a certain degree of alleviation of liver fibrosis degree compared with the CCl₄ model group （mainly S3—S4）. The measurement of related molecules showed that sitravatinib downregulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of α-SMA and Col1a1 （all P<0.05）. ConclusionSitravatinib can effectively alleviate CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis in mice， possibly by inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation and collagen synthesis.

Objective To analyze the main causes and risk factors of unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 242 liver transplant recipients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2015 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether unplanned reoperation was performed during the same hospitalization after surgery, the recipients were divided into the reoperation group (n=36) and the non-reoperation group (n=206). The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative data of the two groups, as well as donor and graft-related data, were compared to analyze the risk factors of unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation and the survival status of the two groups. Results Among the 242 liver transplant recipients, 36 underwent unplanned reoperations, with a total of 54 procedures including various laparotomies, endoscopic and interventional surgeries, among which there were 20 laparotomies, 18 endoscopic surgeries and 16 interventional surgeries. The most common cause of unplanned reoperation was biliary complications (20 times), followed by vascular complications (17 times). Compared with the non-reoperation group, the reoperation group had longer graft cold ischemia time, higher postoperative fatality rate of recipients, longer length of stay in the intensive care unit and postoperative hospital stay, and higher total hospitalization costs (all P<0.05). The incidence of unplanned reoperation was higher in recipients who underwent split liver transplantation (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that intraoperative blood loss ≥1 000 mL, positive culture of graft perfusate and split liver transplantation were independent risk factors for unplanned reoperation (all P<0.05). The postoperative 7-day, 1-month, 3-month and 6-month survival rates of recipients in the reoperation group and the non-reoperation group were 100% vs. 98.1%, 88.9% vs. 94.2%, 69.4% vs. 90.8% and 66.7% vs. 90.8%, respectively, and the postoperative survival rate of recipients in the reoperation group was lower than that in the non-reoperation group (P<0.05). Conclusions The main causes of unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation are biliary complications, vascular complications, abdominal incision infection and intra-abdominal hemorrhage. Intraoperative massive blood loss, positive culture of graft perfusate and split liver transplantation are the risk factors associated with unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation.

ObjectiveCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). CSF rapidly exchanges with interstitial fluid (ISF) via the glymphatic system within the brain parenchyma. CSF-ISF circulation and its associated mechanisms are often referred to as the brain lymphatic system. This system is connected directly to meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs), jointly performing the function of clearing metabolic waste from the CNS. Emerging evidence indicates that this system is closely associated with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Importantly, abnormal CSF circulation is not only a downstream consequence of AD pathology, but also a risk factor. In AD, the dynamics of CSF flow within the CNS are diminished, immune dysregulation occurs, and this may increase the risk of AD by exacerbating the burden of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). In the mouse model of AD, impaired CSF flow compromises this clearance function, leading to cognitive deficits. Clinically, acupuncture at cognition-related acupoints is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of AD. However, whether its therapeutic effects are mediated through the modulation of CSF dynamics remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on CSF flow and investigate its acupoint specificity. MethodsMice were randomly assigned to experimental groups for the different electroacupuncture groups with the following acupoints: Baihui point (GV 20), Ear point, Neiguan point (PC 6), and Tianshu point (ST 25). Wild-type mice on a C57BL/6J background were used as controls. Fluorescent tracer was injected into the cisterna magna to label CSF flow. Fluorescence imaging was employed to assess the distribution of CSF within the brain before and after acupuncture stimulation. ResultsFollowing tracer injection into the cisterna magna, fluorescence signals rapidly reached the cerebellum and medulla—the regions closest to the injection site. Fluorescence intensity was higher in ventral brain regions compared to dorsal regions, likely due to greater vascular density in ventral areas facilitating CSF-ISF exchange. Electroacupuncture at the GV 20 produced the most pronounced enhancement of CSF across the whole brain, while stimulation at the ST 25 primarily augmented flow within subcortical regions. In contrast, electroacupuncture at the Ear point or the PC 6 had no observable effect on CSF in mice. ConclusionElectroacupuncture promotes CSF flow into the brain parenchyma in an acupoint-specific manner, with GV 20 exhibiting the most pronounced enhancement of CSF dynamics. These findings suggest that acupuncture-mediated facilitation of CSF flow may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing or delaying age-related cognitive decline.

ObjectiveCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). CSF rapidly exchanges with interstitial fluid (ISF) via the glymphatic system within the brain parenchyma. CSF-ISF circulation and its associated mechanisms are often referred to as the brain lymphatic system. This system is connected directly to meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs), jointly performing the function of clearing metabolic waste from the CNS. Emerging evidence indicates that this system is closely associated with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Importantly, abnormal CSF circulation is not only a downstream consequence of AD pathology, but also a risk factor. In AD, the dynamics of CSF flow within the CNS are diminished, immune dysregulation occurs, and this may increase the risk of AD by exacerbating the burden of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). In the mouse model of AD, impaired CSF flow compromises this clearance function, leading to cognitive deficits. Clinically, acupuncture at cognition-related acupoints is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of AD. However, whether its therapeutic effects are mediated through the modulation of CSF dynamics remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on CSF flow and investigate its acupoint specificity. MethodsMice were randomly assigned to experimental groups for the different electroacupuncture groups with the following acupoints: Baihui point (GV 20), Ear point, Neiguan point (PC 6), and Tianshu point (ST 25). Wild-type mice on a C57BL/6J background were used as controls. Fluorescent tracer was injected into the cisterna magna to label CSF flow. Fluorescence imaging was employed to assess the distribution of CSF within the brain before and after acupuncture stimulation. ResultsFollowing tracer injection into the cisterna magna, fluorescence signals rapidly reached the cerebellum and medulla—the regions closest to the injection site. Fluorescence intensity was higher in ventral brain regions compared to dorsal regions, likely due to greater vascular density in ventral areas facilitating CSF-ISF exchange. Electroacupuncture at the GV 20 produced the most pronounced enhancement of CSF across the whole brain, while stimulation at the ST 25 primarily augmented flow within subcortical regions. In contrast, electroacupuncture at the Ear point or the PC 6 had no observable effect on CSF in mice. ConclusionElectroacupuncture promotes CSF flow into the brain parenchyma in an acupoint-specific manner, with GV 20 exhibiting the most pronounced enhancement of CSF dynamics. These findings suggest that acupuncture-mediated facilitation of CSF flow may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing or delaying age-related cognitive decline.

Background: and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis. Methods: This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs. Conclusions Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of fluoroscopically-guided percutaneous gastrostomy (FGPG) for establishing enteral nutrition access in the treatment of esophageal fistula after radiotherapy for cervical esophageal cancer (CEC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 54 patients who underwent FGPG due to esophageal fistula after radiotherapy for CEC at our department from November 2009 to August 2019. All patients received endoscopy before radiotherapy, and CEC was pathologically confirmed. Enteral nutrition support was offered through a gastrostomy tube postoperatively. The success rate of FGPG, complications, and healing of perforation were recorded and analyzed.Results:FGPG was successfully performed in all 54 patients (100%). During the 12-month follow-up, 50 patients (92.6) survived while four (7.4%) died. Among 36 patients with esophagomediastinal fistula, 32 (88.9%) healed in a median of 12 weeks; of 18 patients with esophagotracheal fistula, 8 (44.4%) healed in a median of 18 weeks. Thus, patients with esophagomediastinal fistula had a significantly higher healing rate ( P<0.01) and shorter healing time ( P=0.017). Gastrostomy tube-related complications were minimal, and no serious complication was noted. Conclusions:FGPG is effective for the treatment of esophageal fistula after CEC radiotherapy and may be an alternative treatment for esophageal fistula.

Lens injury is an important etiological factor in the reduction of visual function following ocular trauma.Currently, there are no clear standards for the classification of lens injury, and comprehensive diagnostic tools are lacking.This deficiency leads to numerous controversies and challenges in critical areas, such as diagnosis and preoperative evalution, timing of surgery, surgical strategy, and assessment of postoperative prognosis.Tomographic imaging technology, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography, has introduced a new dimension to the evaluation of lens injury, which is crucial for assessing the transparency, texture, location, morphology, and integrity of the lens, as well as the zonules and nearby intraocular structures.However, the use of tomographic imaging technology is somewhat limited due to the limitations of relying on a single method.With the ongoing advancement of imaging technologies and the rapid development of big data and artificial intelligence, tomographic imaging will become an increasingly essential tool in the future management of lens injury.Our expert group reviewed the epidemiological characteristics and classification of lens injury and the major challenges currently faced in the diagnosis and treatment of lens injury, and provided expert recommendations mainly focusing on the application, shortcomings and limitations of current tomographic imaging technology in the diagnosis and treatment of lens injury, and future development directions.

Anxiety is a major emotional disorder manifested in the individual's expectation of future threats.The incidence rate of anxiety is about 7.3％,with the highest lifetime prevalence rate among mental health conditions.The mechanism of anxiety overlaps with depression,and anxiety is a typical symptom of various mental diseases or emotional disorders in traditional Chinese medicine.The high rates of comorbidity and disability pose serious threats to people's health.Animal models are important tools for studying anxiety and are of great use for deciphering the pathogenesis of anxiety and for developing drugs.The traditional paradigm of stress-induced anxiety,however,is relatively limited.Based on traditional theory combined with clinical and animal experimental data,we propose a new hypothesis of"insufficiency of ZhiYi'causing anxiety,defined as"an anxiety state induced by the inability of an individual to meet their own needs,limited or lacking after multiple attempts,rendered hindered and powerless by an inability to meet their desires".This hypothesis is more in line with the typical manifestations of despair,lack of pleasure,and social withdrawal in clinical patients,and is supported by traditional theory and experimental data showing"hunger but unable to eat,food but unable to obtain,and gain but not full".Based on this,the established modeling paradigm is easy to apply,with good repeatability and low cost,and can be used to establish anxiety models in rats and mice,to provide a theoretical and model basis for the development and pharmacological evaluation of anti-anxiety drugs.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in ischiofemoral impinge-ment syndrome(IFI).Methods Fifty-six patients who underwent hip MRI with confirmed IFI diagnosis and completed ultrasonography examinations were enrolled as the IFI group,including 44 females and 12 males.Twenty healthy volunteers were concurrently recruited as the control group,consisting of 10 females and 10 males.The control group underwent ultrasonography examinations of bilateral hip joints,whiletheischialfemoralspace(IFS)andquadratusfemoristhickness(QFT)of both groups were measured and recorded.Then measurements were compared within(by laterality and gender)and between the two groups using independent-samples t-tests.Moreover,receiver operating characteristic adults,males exhibited significantly higher IFS and QFT values than females(P<0.05).Within the IFI group,males with affected hips had significantly higher IFS than females(P<0.05),while no sig-nificant differences were observed in QFT between different genders(P>0.05).Moreover,affected hips in the IFI group showed significantly narrower IFS and thicker QFT compared to both contralateral hips and the control group(P<0.001).In addition,the diagnostic cut-off values of IFS and QFT for ultrasound diagnosis of IFI were 22.93 mm and 16.48 mm,respectively.At these thresholds,the ar-eas under the curve(AUC)were 0.997 and 0.977,with sensitivities of 97.8%and 91.8%,and speci-ficities of 98.4%and 97.8%,respectively.Conclusion Ultrasound can serve as a reliable diagnostic technique for IFI,where narrowing of the IFS and thickening of the QFT should raise suspicion of this condition.

BACKGROUND:Dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension are commonly used methods for modeling sarcopenia in animal experiments due to their short modeling time,ease of operation,and low cost.OBJECTIVE:To compare the differences in muscle mass,strength and functional phenotypes and molecular mechanisms between two mouse sarcopenia models induced by dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension.METHODS:Thirty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups(n=10 per group).The normal control group received no intervention.The dexamethasone group received daily intraperitoneal injections of 1 mg/kg/d dexamethasone sodium phosphate solution for 6 continuous days to establish sarcopenia models in mice,while mice in the hindlimb suspension group were suspended by tail harness for 16 hours,once per day,to establish sarcopenia models.Within 6 weeks after modeling,changes in body mass were monitored.After 6 weeks of modeling,mice were tested for limb grip strength,mobility(swimming test),skeletal muscle wet mass,and skeletal muscle pathological morphology.Expressions of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and catabolism indexes as well as the AMPK/FoXO3α signaling pathway were detected by RT-PCR and western blot.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Two weeks after modeling,both dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension groups showed a significant decrease in body mass compared with the normal control group(P<0.001).After 6 weeks of modeling,grip strength of mice in both dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension groups was lower than that in the normal control group(P<0.001).The wet mass of gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus muscles and the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the dexamethasone group were lower than those in the normal control group(P<0.05).Compared with the hindlimb suspension group,the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius muscle was significantly smaller in the dexamethasone group(P<0.05),while the cross-sectional area of soleus muscle was larger in the dexamethasone group(P<0.05).Mice in the dexamethasone group had reduced mobility when compared with those in the normal control group and the hindlimb suspension group(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the normal control group,PI3K,mTOR,AMPK,and PGC-1α mRNA expression and P-AMPK/AMPK protein were decreased in the two modeling groups(P<0.05),and FoXO3α mRNA expression and PGC-1α and FoXO3 protein expression were elevated(P<0.05);in the dexamethasone group,Akt1 mRNA expression was decreased(P<0.05),while Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 mRNA expression was elevated(P<0.05);in the hindlimb suspension group,Akt1 mRNA expression was elevated(P<0.05).(4)Compared with the dexamethasone group,mTOR,Akt1,and FoXO3α mRNA expression was elevated in the hindlimb suspension group(P<0.05),while Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 mRNA expression was decreased(P<0.05).To conclude,both modeling methods could decrease the levels of mitochondrial energy metabolism in skeletal muscle,with the dexamethasone group mediating atrophy of skeletal muscle through the dual action of ubiquitin proteasome and energy metabolism pathways,and the hindlimb suspension group inducing atrophy of skeletal muscle by mediating the energy metabolism pathway through the AMPK/FoXO3α signaling pathway,subsequently causing a reduction in mass,strength,and function of skeletal muscle.