Objective To investigate the regulatory mechanism of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in different types of mitral valvular disease (MVD) with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods From August 2011 to August 2012, patients with moderate to severe MVD accompanied by AF who required mitral valve replacement at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, were included. Based on echocardiographic results, patients were divided into two groups: a mitral regurgitation (MR) with AF (MR-AF) group and a mitral stenosis (MS) with AF (MS-AF) group. Left atrial tissue samples were collected during surgery. Techniques such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting were used to detect key molecules in the TGF-β1/JNK pathway. Results Sixteen patients were enrolled. There were 8 patients in the MR-AF group, including 5 males and 3 females, with an average age of (41.38±11.19) years; and 8 patients in the MS-AF group, including 6 males and 2 females, with an average age of (43.12±5.30) years. The left atrial volume load was higher in MR-AF patients, while the left atrial pressure load was higher in MS-AF patients. In MS-AF patients, the relative expression levels of MAPK9, JUN, CASP3, BAX, and BCL2 mRNA in left atrial tissues were significantly upregulated. The serum TGF-β1 protein level and the relative expression levels of p-JNK, p-c-Jun, and Caspase-3 proteins in the left atrial tissues of the MR-AF group were higher. Myocardial cell damage was more severe in the MS-AF group, and the protein expression level of Bcl-2 was higher. Conclusion Different MVD have distinct hemodynamic characteristics. The myocardium of the left atrium in MR-AF patients is more prone to apoptosis, possibly through the activation of the TGF-β1/JNK signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

Objective To analyze the characteristics of intradepartmental consultation cases in the Department of Ultrasound,identify the technical weaknesses underlying consultation needs,thereby exploring their guiding signifi-cance for optimizing the medical education system.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 325 in-tradepartmental consultation cases from the Department of Ultrasound at Peking University Third Hospital between January 1,2020,and December 31,2024.Data on patient sources,time distribution,disease categories,applicant physicians'seniority,and the positive rate of ultrasound reports were statistically analyzed.Results The majority of consultation cases involved outpatients(74.77%),with the highest proportion originating from General Surgery(98/325,30.15%),Pediatrics(31/325,9.54%),and Urology(21/325,6.46%).Consultations pre-dominantly occurred on weekdays between 10∶00 and 16∶00.Superficial organ diseases constituted the largest disease category(179/325,55.08%),mainly involving subcutaneous soft tissue,breast,and thyroid subcatego-ries,followed by musculoskeletal and neurological diseases(48/325,14.77%)and vascular diseases(44/325,13.54%).Case distribution varied by physician seniority:resident physicians in training primarily requested con-sultations for superficial organ,vascular,and abdominal cases;specialized training physicians showed an increased proportion of musculoskeletal and neurological cases;while attending physicians who completed specialized training and associate chief physicians demonstrated higher proportions of musculoskeletal and neurological,and pediatric cranial cases.The overall positive rate of ultrasound reports was 88.00%,with negative reports mostly prompting consultations due to discrepancies between subjective symptoms and imaging findings.Conclusions The character-istics of intradepartmental consultation cases reflect the technical weaknesses of ultrasound physicians at different seniority levels,providing helpful insights for refining postgraduate and continuing education systems to enhance the core competencies in ultrasound practice.

Objective To analyze the influencing factors of hepatic encephalopathy(HE)after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)and construct a nomogram prediction model based on these factors.Methods A total of 290 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertensive variceal gastrointestinal bleeding in the Yuncheng Central Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University from January 2019 to December 2023 were selected and randomly divided into training set of 145 cases and validation set of 145 cases.All patients underwent TIPS treatment,and the incidence of HE within 3 months after TIPS was recorded.In the training set,patients were divided into HE group(n=42)and non-HE group(n=103)based on the occurrence of HE.Clinical materials were compared between the two groups,and Lasso-Logistic regression analysis was applied to explore the influencing factors of HE after TIPS.A nomogram prediction model was constructed based on the influencing factors and validated in both the training set and the validation set for its clinical value in predicting HE after TIPS.Results The overall incidence of HE was 29.31％,with incidence rates of 28.97％and 29.66％respectively in the training set and the validation set.In the training set,the HE group had significantly higher age,C grading of preoperative Child-Pugh ratio,diabetes mellitus ratio,total bilirubin(TBIL),prothrombin time(PT),serum sodium,serum creatinine,interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-18(IL-18),blood ammonia,monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1),postoperative portal venous pressure,and intestinal flora disturbance ratio when compared to the non-HE group,while the preoperative glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)level was significantly lower in the HE group(P＜0.05).Lasso-Logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative C grading of Child-Pugh grading,diabetes mellitus,TBIL,PT,IL-6,IL-18,blood ammonia,GFAP,MCP-1 level,and postoperative intestinal flora disturbance were influencing factors for HE after TIPS(P＜0.05).A nomogram prediction model was constructed based on ten influencing factors selected by Lasso-Logistic regression analysis.The area under the curve(AUC)of this model for predicting HE after TIPS was 0.933(95％CI,0.889 to 0.976)in the training set and 0.944(95％CI,0.893 to 0.995)in the valida-tion set,with good consistency between the model's prediction and actual observation.Conclusion The nomogram prediction model for HE after TIPS,constructed based on the influencing factors selected by Lasso-Logistic regression analysis,has high predictive efficacy and accuracy.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the anterior ethmoidal artery(AEA)and anatomical variations of the anterior cranial base,and to analyze the predictive factors for AEA suspension.Methods Sinus CT imaging data of 159 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus sur-gery(ESS)were retrospectively analyzed.Mimics 21.0 software was utilized for three-dimensional reconstruction,measuring parameters of AEA and anterior cranial base anatomy and performing classi-fication.Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were used to evaluate the correlations among vari-ous anatomical parameters and their classifications.Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to screen for independentpredictive factors of AEA suspension.Results The rates of AEA suspension differed significantly across different Keros classifications(P＜0.001),with an increase rate as the Keros classification level increased(P＜0.001).The transverse diameter,height and vol-ume of supraorbital ethmoid cells(SOEC),olfactory fossa depth,lateral lamella of the cribriform plate(LLCP)length and frontal sinus pneumatization classification grade were positively correlated with the distance from AEA to the cranial base(P＜0.05).Multivariate binary Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of SOEC(OR=4.178,95％CI,2.517 to 6.935,P＜0.001),in-creased olfactory fossa depth(OR=1.433,95％CI,1.197 to 1.715,P＜0.001),and higher frontal sinus pneumatization classification grade(OR=1.621,95％CI,1.121 to 2.345,P=0.01)were independent predictive factors for AEA suspension.Conclusion Detailed preoperative CT imaging assessment,especially the analysis of SOEC,olfactory fossa depth and frontal sinus pneumatization classification,aids in accurately assessing the anatomical position of AEA,thereby effectively reduc-ing the risk of AEA injury,and improving the safety and success rate of surgery.

Following the principles of evidence-based medicine,in accordance with the structure and drafting rules of standardized documents,based on literature research,according to the characteristics of chronic cough in children and issues that need to form a consensus,the TCM Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Cough in Children was formulated based on the Delphi method,expert discussion meetings,and public solicitation of opinions.The guideline includes scope of application,terms and definitions,eti-ology and diagnosis,auxiliary examination,treatment,prevention and care.The aim is to clarify the optimal treatment plan of Chinese medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease,and to provide guidance for improving the clinical diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in children with Chinese medicine.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of robot-assisted screw fixation for unstable pelvic ring multifocal fractures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 76 patients with unstable pelvic fractures treated with orthopaedic robot-assisted screw fixation in the Trauma Center of the Affiliated Central Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from January 2015 to June 2022, including 43 males and 33 females, aged 52.53±13.68 years (range, 16-87 years). There were 43 cases of falling injuries from high places, 22 cases of traffic accidents, 11 cases of crushing injuries and heavy objects. Fifty-five patients were employed before the injury, while 21 were not. Fractures were classified according to the Tile classification, with 72 cases classified as type B and 4 cases as type C. Robot-assisted fixation techniques included internal fixator (INFIX), anterior ring screws, sacroiliac screws, and LC-II screws. Intraoperative blood loss, fluoroscopy frequency, surgical time, and the success rate of initial guidewire placement were recorded. Fracture reduction quality was evaluated using the Matta criteria, and postoperative pelvic function recovery was assessed using the Majeed criteria.Results:A total of 150 surgical procedures were performed on 76 patients, including 34 cases of INFIX fixation, 48 cases of anterior ring screws, 61 cases of sacroiliac joint screws, and 7 cases of LC-II screws. The mean intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency was 46.63±17.50 times (range, 15-93 times). Intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency varied among different fixation techniques, with INFIX group at 16.44±4.32 times, LC-II group at 21.59±5.80 times, anterior ring screws group at 29.44±11.65 times, and sacroiliac screws group at 23.10±11.87 times. The intraoperative blood loss was 20 (10, 47.5) ml (range, 5-300 ml), and the surgical time was 105 (86, 150) min (range, 30-290 min). The mean surgical time varied among different fixation techniques. All patients were followed up for an average of 6.46±2.26 months (range, 3-16 months). Clinical healing was achieved in all patients within 6 months, with an average time of 3.14±0.50 months. At the last follow-up, fracture reduction quality assessed by the Matta score was excellent in 21 cases and good in 43 cases, with an excellent/good rate of 84% (64/76). The Majeed score was 81.82±9.14 points (range, 50-92 points). For patients who were employed before the injury, the Majeed score was 86.55±4.85 points (range, 60-92 points), with 49 cases rated as excellent, 5 cases as good, and 1 case as fair. For patients who were not employed before the injury, the Majeed score was 69.43±5.34 points (range, 50-73 points), with 18 cases rated as excellent, 2 cases as good, and 1 case as fair. The overall excellent and good rate was 97% (74/76). Among patients who underwent INFIX internal fixation, 8 cases experienced lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury postoperatively, all of which recovered sensation after 3 months; 1 case using LC-II screws experienced screw loosening postoperatively and was advised to reduce activity, then the screw was removed after fracture healing at 6 months postoperatively; 1 case using anterior ring channel screws experienced surgical site infection postoperatively, which was controlled after debridement.Conclusion:In the treatment of unstable pelvic ring multiple fractures, robot-assisted screw fixation has less blood loss, less fluoroscopy times, high success rate of planning guide needle, satisfactory reduction quality and postoperative function.

Purpose::Shaping and assembling contemporary external fixators rapidly for the severe mandibular fractures remains a challenge, especially in emergency circumstance. We designed a novel external fixator that incorporates universal joints to provide the stabilization for mandibular comminuted fractures. This study aims to confirm the efficacy of this novel external fixator through biomechanical tests in vitro and animal experiments. Methods::In vitro biomechanical tests were conducted using 6 fresh canine with mandibular defect to simulate critical comminuted fractures. Three mandibles were stabilized by the novel external fixator and other mandibles were fixed by 2.5 mm reconstruction plates. All fixed mandibles were subjected to loads of 350 N on the anterior regions of teeth and 550 N on the first molar of the unaffected side. The stability was evaluated based on the maximum displacement and the slope of the load-displacement curve. In animal experiments, 9 beagles with comminuted mandibular fractures were divided into 3 groups, which were treated with the novel external fixation, reconstruction plate, and dental arch bar, respectively. The general observation, the changes in animals’ weight, and the surgical duration were recorded and compared among 3 groups. The CT scans were performed at various intervals of 0 day (immediately after the surgery), 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days to analyze the displacement of feature points on the canine mandible and situation of fracture healing at 28 days. The statistical significance was assessed by the two-way analysis of variance test followed by the Bonferroni test, enabling multiple comparisons for all tests using GraphPad Prism10.1.0 (GraphPad Inc, USA). Results::The outcomes of the biomechanical tests indicated that no statistically significant differences were found in terms of the maximum displacement ( p = 0.496, 0.079) and the slope of load displacement curves ( p = 0.374, 0.349) under 2 load modes between the external and internal fixation groups. The animal experiment data showed that there were minor displacements of feature points between the external and internal fixation groups without statistic difference, while the arch bar group demonstrated inferior stability. The CT analysis revealed that the best fracture healing happened in the internal fixation group, followed by the external fixation and arch baring at 28 days after fixation. The external fixation group had the shortest fixation duration (25.67 ± 3.79) min compared to internal fixation ((70.67 ± 4.51) min, p < 0.001) and arch baring ((42.00 ± 3.00) min, p = 0.046). Conclusion::The conclusion of this study highlighted the efficacy and reliability of this novel external fixator in managing mandibular fractures rapidly, offering a viable option for the initial stabilization of comminuted mandibular fractures in the setting of emergency rescue.

Eag1(ether-à-go-go-1,also known as Kv10.1,KC-NH1)is a member of the KCNH gene family of voltage-gated potassiumion(K+)channels,which is mainly expressed in the central nervous system as well as in a variety of malignancies and plays an important role in tumor development.The study of the distribution and mechanism of action of Eag1 is of great impor-tance to reveal its physiological function and its association with pathological mechanisms.This paper reviews the current re-search progress on the physiological and pathological properties of Eag1,the relationship between Eag1 and tumor development and the anti-tumor application of Eag1 modulators.

This study was aimed at investigating the pathogenic and molecular characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae(KP)in fecal samples of diarrhea cases in a district of Beijing.Fecal samples from diarrhea cases in an outpatient department in a district of Beijing from 2018 to 2021 were collected,and used for isolation and culture of KP.The KP strains isolated strains were subjected to drug resistance phenotype testing and whole-genome sequencing.Multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome phyletic evolution analysis were performed on the sequencing results.The cases'epidemiological and clinical characteristics were analyzed.From 2018 to 2021,1 103 fecal samples were collected and detected.The total detection rate of KP was 10.43％(115/1 103),and the infection rate of KP mixed with other diarrhea-causing pathogens was 42.61％(49/115).The positivity rate was slightly high(12.47％,61/489)a-mong females and was highest in young adults 16-45 years of age.Small peaks were observed in January,April to May,and August to September.The gastrointestinal symptoms in cases were mainly nausea and watery stool,and the suspicious food was unknown.Ampicillin,tetracycline,and sulfafurazole were the top three antibiotics to which these 115 KP strains showed resistance,and 29 strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics.The strains were divided into 72 sequence types,among which ST23 was dominant.According to the phylogenetic tree,the strains were divided into four main branches,among which 14 ST23 strains had a very close genetic relationship with the highly virulent NTUH-K2044 reference strain.KP infection persisted in fecal samples from diarrhea cases in the district of Beijing.Women and young adults were particularly susceptible.The drug resistance of KP strains in this region was very serious,and the ST types were diverse.Moreover,the ST23 pathogenic strains were closely related to high virulence strains.