Objective:To analyze the results of lymphocyte subsets and 12 plasma cytokines in patients with tuberculosis by flow cytometry and to evaluate their diagnostic efficacy in these patients.Methods:This is a retrospective case-control study. A total of 128 patients with evidence of tuberculosis disease or clinically confirmed tuberculosis who were admitted to the 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2022 to December 2023 were included. According to the location of mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, the patients were divided into the pulmonary tuberculosis group (83 cases) and the extrapulmonary tuberculosis group (45 cases), and 100 healthy age-and sex matched people who underwent health check up during the study period were selected as the control group. Flow cytometry was used to detect peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and 12 plasma cytokines [including 10 pro-inflammatory factors: interleukin (IL)-5, interferon (IFN)-α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-8, IL-17, IL-12P70, Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and two anti-inflammatory factors: IL-4, IL-10] in participants of all groups. Spearman correlation method was used to analyze the correlation between lymphocyte subsets and cytokines, binary Logistic regression was used to screen the TB related factors, and receiver operating curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of TB related factors.Results:Compared with the control group, the absolute number of CD3 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD8 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD4 +T lymphocytes, NK cells and B cells were lower in pulmonary tuberculosis group and extrapulmonary tuberculosis group (all P<0.05). Except for IL-1β, the levels of other 11 cytokines are all significantly higher in the pulmonary tuberculosis group (all P<0.01), and the levels of IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-17, TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher in extrapulmonary tuberculosis group (all P<0.05). Compared with extrapulmonary tuberculosis group, the level of IL-8 was higher in pulmonary tuberculosis group ( P=0.026). Spearman correlation analysis showed that IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-8 were negatively correlated with the absolute numbers of CD3 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD8 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD4 +T lymphocytes, NK cells and B cells (IL-6: R2=-0.30, -0.28, -0.32, -0.26, -0.28; IFN-γ: R2=-0.36, -0.31, -0.37, -0.25, -0.36; IL-8: R2=-0.14, -0.13, -0.16, -0.14, -0.22; all P<0.05), IL-10 was negatively correlated with the absolute number of CD3 +CD4 +T lymphocytes, NK cells and B cells ( R 2=-0.14, -0.19, -0.21, all P<0.05); Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8 and IL-10 were the related factors of tuberculosis ( OR=1.809, 1.136, 0.910, 2.218, all P<0.05), ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8 and IL-10 in the joint diagnosis of tuberculosis was 0.845, the sensitivity was 0.766, and the specificity was 0.820. Conclusion:The lower absolute number of lymphocyte subsets and cytokine levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and extrapulmonary tuberculosis indicate that their immune function is in a low state, and the higher levels of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8) and anti-inflammatory factor (IL-10) indicates the higher inflammatory status, and evaluation of these 4 cytokines has satisfactory diagnostic efficacy for tuberculosis.

Objective:This study aims to establish an early warning diagnosis model for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and to provide a simple, rapid, and accurate auxiliary diagnosis basis for clinical practice.Methods:The sample bank of subjects (patients admitted to the Eighth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from September 10, 2021, to July 25, 2023) was constructed, including the model establishment cohort [SCOPD group 49, 42 males and 7 females, (69.71±11.16) years old; AECOPD group 53, 49 males and 4 females, (72.60±10.19) years old] and the model validation cohort [SCOPD group 35, 28 males and 7 females, (69.97±10.40) years old; AECOPD group 35, 33 males and 2 females, (71.43±9.67) years old]. Fasting peripheral blood samples were collected, and the expression levels of IL-5, IL-17A, and IFN-α were detected by flow cytometry. Different expression levels were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen the related risk factors of COPD patients in acute exacerbation. The diagnostic efficacy of the model was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:The levels of IL-5 [1.64 (0.60, 2.86) pg/ml], IL-17A [1.42 (0.88, 2.29) pg/ml], and IFN-α [0.91 (0.59, 1.81) pg/ml] in the SCOPD group were significantly decreased compared with the AECOPD group IL-5 [4.68 (2.34, 9.40) pg/ml, Z=-5.033, P<0.001], IL-17A [2.33 (1.59, 4.62) pg/ml, Z=-3.919, P<0.001], IFN-α [2.83 (0.91, 3.75) pg/ml, Z=-4.127, P<0.01] in the cohort of model establishment. The results of binary logistic regression analysis between SCOPD and AECOPD groups showed that IL-5, IL-17A, and IFN-α were independent risk factors for acute exacerbation of patients with COPD ( P<0.05). And the regression equation is Y=-2.861+0.364×IL-5+0.385×IL-17A+0.445×IFN-α. The AUC value of IL-5, IL-17A, IFN-α and combined detection was 0.866 ( P<0.001). Compared to the SCOPD group and the AECOPD group in the cohort of model validation, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the combined model of three (AUC=0.858, P<0.001) could be used to diagnose the AECOPD. And the Kappa value was 0.773( P<0.05). Conclusion:The combined detection of IL-5, IL-17A, and IFN-α has high diagnostic efficacy for patients with acute exacerbation of COPD. This method provides a new potential tool for the clinical diagnosis of AECOPD and has the value of further exploration and optimization, promotion, and application.

Objective:To summarize and analyze the modalities and experience of retrograde distal perfusion with distal perfusion catheter (DPC) via cannulation of the posterior tibial artery in veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(V-A ECMO).Methods:The clinical data of 15 patients who were treated with V-A ECMO and underwent DPC placement via the posterior tibial artery in our hospital from January 2022 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The V-A ECMO catheterization method in 15 patients was percutaneous puncture catheterization, and all of them underwent surgical incision to indwelling retrograde DPC through the posterior tibial artery: 6 cases of preventive catheterization, 9 cases of remedial catheterization, the success rate of one-time catheterization was 93.33%, and the type of catheter was mainly 6 F sheath (66.67%). There was no ALI in preventive catheterization, and one case of osteofascial compartment syndrome occurred in remedial catheterization, and the catheterization time was (20.73 ± 3.47) min.Conclusions:In V-A ECMO, placement of DPC via the posterior tibial artery for retrograde distal perfusion is perfectly feasible, and has a high success rate, which can prevent or treat lower extremity ischemia.

Chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a significant challenge in treating colorectal cancer (CRC). Novel combined regimens to thwart chemoresistance are therefore urgently needed. Herein, we demonstrated that the combination of Avenanthramide A (AVN A) and 5-FU has significant therapeutic advantages against CRC. Mechanistically, AVN A directly binds to the S198 site of the histone lysine demethylase KDM4C to promote its degradation, which subsequently fosters H3K9me3 occupancy on the MIR17HG promoter to block its transcription and derepress Bim expression. AVN A enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU via impairing the KDM4C/MIR17HG/GSK-3β negative feedback loop. Importantly, the clinical correlation of the KDM4C/MIR17HG/Bim signaling axis with 5-FU response was validated in the refractory CRC patients. We provide evidence for the enhanced effectiveness of 5-FU when combined with AVN A in chemoresistant xenografts, CRC organoids, and Apc ^Min/+ mouse model. Additionally, AVN A mitigated the systemic adverse effects of 5-FU. Overall, our findings demonstrate that combinatorial therapy with AVN A and 5-FU represents an appealing opportunity and highlights KDM4C/MIR17HG/GSK-3β negative feedback loop which confers therapeutically exploitable vulnerability to chemo-refractory CRC patients.

Hypersplenism is a common complication caused by liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension, and at present, splenectomy and partial splenic artery embolization (PSE) are the main methods for the treatment of hypersplenism. Splenectomy has a marked effect in the treatment of hypersplenism and can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of patients with hypersplenism. Compared with splenectomy, PSE causes partial splenic parenchymal infarction and thus achieve similar clinical efficacy as partial splenectomy while preserving the spleen and its function. Although PSE is an effective method for the treatment of hypersplenism, there are few reports on the effect of PSE on liver fibrosis, immunity, and liver regeneration in China and globally. This article summarizes the common causes of hypersplenism, the mechanism of PSE in the treatment of hypersplenism, the therapeutic effect of different embolization methods and materials, and the effect of PSE on liver fibrosis, immunity, and liver regeneration, so as to provide a theoretical basis and new ideas for the clinical treatment of hypersplenism.

Objective:To establish a qualitative and quantitative analysis method of ginsenoside Rb1, cinnamic acid, paeoniflorin and berberine in Wenxin formula based on UPLC-MS/MS MRM model so as to provide a rapid and accurate evaluation method for the research and development of new drugs.Methods:Adopting Waters ACQUITY UPLCTM HSS T3 (2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 μm) and gradient elution was performed by mobile methanol-0.03% formic acid water. chromatographic column was used with electrospray ionization source in the scanning mode of multiple reactive ion monitoring (MRM) for ion separation and screening. The retention time and the relative abundance ratio (qualitative ion pairs/quantitative ion pairs) was used for qualitative analysis, while quantitative ion pairs was used for quantitative analysis.Results:The four components tested in Wenxin Formula have been qualitatively detected and showed a good linear relationship, the method showed accuracy, precision, repeatability, and stability, the recovery rate was 96.24%-104.19% and RSD was 1.29%-3.30%. Conclusion:The established method is simple, accurate, rapid and sensitive, which is reliable for the qualitative and quantitative study of the four main components in Wenxin Formula.

Objective To explore the target definition for internal mammary lymph nodes ( IMLNs) irradiation based on the distribution of internal mammary sentinel lymph nodes ( IM-SLNs ) developing on SPECT/CT fusion imaging. Methods A total of 709 breast cancer patients who underwent preoperative SPECT/CT fusion imaging examination in IM-SLN from 2014 to 2018 were selected. All of the selected patients were first diagnosed and did not receive neoadjuvant treatment before SPECT/CT examination. Finally, totally 97 patients with 136 positive imaging IM-SLNs were included in this study. The clinical target volumes ( CTVs) were delineated according to the consensus guidelines from RTOG and DBCG and defined as CTVRTOG and CTVDBCG , respectively. The positional relationship of CTVRTOG , CTVDBCG and IM-SLNs were determined. Results The number of IM-SLNs from the first to fifth intercostal spaces were 55, 40, 33, 6 and 1, respectively. And the number of IM-SLNs in the first three intercostal spaces accounted for 94. 85％ of the total. The average distance from the edge of CTVRTOG to the centre points and the edges of IM-SLNs were 4. 10 mm ( 95％CI 3. 54-4. 65 mm) and 6. 40 mm ( 95％CI 5. 81-6. 98 mm), respectively (t=-30. 486,P<0. 05). For the CTVDBCG, the average distance was 1. 60 mm ( 95％CI 1. 16-2. 05 mm) and 3. 34 mm ( 95％CI 2. 78-3. 89 mm) , respectively ( t=-16. 364,P<0. 05) . The average distances from the edge of CTV to the centre points and the edge of IM-SLNs for CTVRTOG were all significantly greater than those for CTVDBCG(t=16. 640, 19. 815, P<0. 05). The rate of covering IM-SLN center points for CTVRTOG and CTVDBCG were 18. 4％ and 60. 3％, respectively. In order to cover 90％or 100％ of the IM-SLN center points, the edge of CTVRTOG should be expanded by 8 or 15 mm, respectively, and the edge of CTVDBCG should be expanded by 5 or 13 mm, respectively. If the diameter of IM-SLN was assumed as 5 mm, the edge of CTVRTOG needed an expansion of 11 or 17 mm to contain 90％or 100％ of IM-SLNs, respectively, while the edge of CTVDBCG needed 7 or 16 mm to cover 90％ or 100％of IM-SLNs, respectively. Conclusions It is reasonable to include the first three intercostal spaces IMLNs for prophylactic irradiation based on the distribution of IM-SLNs. However, CTVs based on the two guidelines are both insufficient to cover 90％ of IM-SLNs.

Objective To analysis the post-dialysis fatigue status of maintenance hemodialysis patients,explore the influencing factors in these patients and propose effective interventions.Methods One hundred and twenty maintenance hemodialysis patients in Department of Nephrology,Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were enrolled.Clinical data were obtained by questionnaires.Biochemical changes before and post hemodialysis were recorded.The serum concentrations of hemoglobin,albumin,electrolyte,bicarbonate and lactic acid were collected for analysis.Results One hundred and nine(90.8％)effective questionnaires were collected,in which more than half of patients claimed to experience post-dialysis fatigue.Time to recover from hemodialysis(TIRD)was different:the median(interquartile range)time was 2.00(0.00,3.00)hours.In the study,30.3％patients reported no fatigue after hemodialysis.Recovery time in 35.8％patients was more than 30 minutes to 2 hours,22.0％was 3 to 4 hours,11.0％was 5 to 12 hours,0.9％patients took longer time to recover from a dialysis session.According to the recovery time,these patients were divided into three groups.Among the three groups,the ultrafiltration,the serum sodium and lactic acid after dialysis showed significant difference.It was showed by the unconditional logistic regression analysis that ultrafiltration(OR=2.35,95％CI 1.44-3.83),serum sodium(OR=0.75,95％CI 0.65-0.88),lactic acid(OR=3.16,95％CI 1.32-7.55)were associated of TIRD.Conclusions The incidence of post-dialysis fatigue is high.Most of the patients require more rest or sleep immediately after dialysis.The level of lactic acid is a significant influencing factor of the fatigue of patients.TIRD is correlated with the elevation of lactic acid during the dialysis process,and more attention should be paid to postdialysis fatigue.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of 99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) double-phase imaging in differential diagnosis of bone lesions in tumor patients,which was indefinite in 99Tcm-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone imaging,and evaluate the correlation between 99Tcm-MIBI imaging and chemotherapy efficacy.Methods Fifty-two tumor patients (23 males,29 females,mean age 58 years) with bone isolated lesions(≤3) found by 99Tcm-MDP bone scintigraphy was enrolled from June 2014 to November 2015.Since the results of 99Tcm-MDP imaging were indefinite,99Tcm-MIBI double-phase (10 min and 30 min after injection of 99Tcm-MIBI) SPECT/CT imaging was then performed within 1 week.The final diagnosis was made according to results of more than two imaging modalities (CT,MRI,PET/CT) and/or follow-up (≥6 months).The diagnostic efficacy of 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT/CT imaging was calculated.The clinical dataof chemotherapy were also collected.Patients with bone metastasis were grouped as the treatment response.Retention index (RI) of metastatic lesions was calculated and compared between different groups using two-sample t test.The relationship between RI and chemotherapy efficacy was investigated by Spearman correlation analysis.Results A total of 12 benign lesions and 84 malignant lesions were eventually diagnosed.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value (PPV),negative predictive value (NPV) and Youden index of 99Tcm-MIBI imaging were 96.43％(81/84),83.33％(10/12),97.59％(81/83),76.92％(10/13),and 0.80,respectively.The RI was statistically different between complete remission (CR)+partial remission (PR) group and stable disease (SD) + progressive disease (PD) group:-0.142± 0.036 vs-0.384± 0.067 (t =2.367,P＜0.05).The RI of 99Tcm-MIBI in bone metastases was positively correlated with the chemotherapy efficacy (rs =0.78,P＜0.01).Conclusions 99Tcm-MIBI imaging is helpful in differential diagnosis of bone lesions with indefinite diagnosis by 99Tcm-MDP bone imaging in tumor patients.99Tcm-MIBI RI of bone metastasis may predict the therapeutic response of chemotherapy efficacy.

Objective: To evaluate the safety, feasibility and operational effectiveness of master-slave system controlled Robot-assisted flexible endoscopy 'YunSRobot’ in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy examination in living pigs. Methods: Seven Guangxi BA-MA Mini-pigs underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy examination with master-slave system controlled Robot-assisted flexible endoscopy 'YunSRobot’ and Olympus GIF-Q260J gastroendoscope (Japan). The experiment divided into manual operation group and robot operation group. Nine gastroenterologists skilled with endoscopy operation handled the robot once in vitro to familiar with the mechanism and method of robot operation. And then performed manual operation and robot operation four times each. Endoscopy pictures and operation time were recorded. T test and one-way analysis of variance were performed for statistical analysis. Results: Both manual operation and robot operation could successfully finish standard esophagus and stomach endoscopic examination. There were no complications such as hemorrhage, perforation, mistaken insertion into of trachea, injures of pharynx and larynx and inhalation pneumonia. Esophagus, gastric cardia, gastric fundus, gastric body, gastric angle, gastric antrum and gastric pylorus could be clearly observed in both groups. The manual operating time of nine gastroenterologists was (3.67±1.95) minutes, which was shorter than that of robot operating time ((7.60±2.00) minutes), and the difference was statistically significant (t=8.445, P<0.01). The time of first in vitro operation performed by nine gastroenterologist was (13.10±6.32) minutes. The operation times of each case of nine gastrienterologist were (8.49±0.90) minutes, (7.50±1.19) minutes, (7.30±1.33) minutes and (7.12±1.61) minutes. The difference was statistically significant (F=7.901, P<0.01). Operation time gradually shortened and operation proficiency significantly improved. Conclusion Master-slave system controlled Robot-assisted flexible endoscopy 'YunSRobot’ which provides a clear observation of esophagus and stomach is safe in endoscopic examination of living animal.